I'm joined by Nick Zeller (https://uscnpm.substack.com/) and Craig Kafura (https://bsky.app/profile/ckafura.bsky.social) to discuss a public opinion poll carried out earlier this year and what it tells us about what Chinese people really think about China. Broken down into 4 reports, we talk about the economy, China-US relations, global leadership, the impact of demographics on answers and why the reaction from westerners reveal an ideological bent and a lack understanding of Chinese society.

Read the reports here: https://globalaffairs.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/CCGA-Carter%20Center_China%20International%20Relations%20Report.pdf

https://globalaffairs.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/CCGA-Carter%20Center_China%20Economics%20Report.pdf

https://globalaffairs.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/CCGA-Carter%20Center_China%20Global%20Role%20Report.pdf

https://globalaffairs.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/CCGA-Carter%20Center_China-US%20Relations%20Report.pdf

Chapters
(00:00) Introduction & what the survey is about
(06:00) Challenges of doing a survey in China
(11:00) How faithful do you think the answers are?
(14:50) Report 1: Friends with benefits
(28:10) Report 2: Economic outlook
(40:00) Report 3: Relations with the US
(53:55) Report 4: China as a global leader

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What do Chinese people really think about China? (W/Nick Zeller & Craig Kafura)