How Chinese Citizens View the World Today and What It Means for New Zealand’s Engagement with China

Date: Tuesday 14 April
Time: 5:00–6:00 pm
Location: 16 Kelburn Parade, Kelburn Campus, VUW

Abstract

This talk offers a candid, data driven account of how Chinese citizens currently perceive the world and China’s role within it. Drawing on findings from the 2026 Chinese Citizens’ Global Perception Survey (CCGPS) – an annual, nationally representative survey conducted by the speaker since 2023 – the presentation explores evolving public attitudes toward China’s foreign relations with major global actors. It examines how citizens understand global security dynamics, interpret China’s international roles, and engage with issues of trade and global governance. The talk highlights preferences around outbound tourism, study abroad, international work and emigration. By unpacking these insights, the presentation aims to equip New Zealand policymakers, researchers and business leaders with timely evidence to inform nuanced, forwardlooking strategies for engaging with mainland China.

Speaker

Reza Hasmath (Ph.D., Cambridge) is a Full Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta. He has held faculty appointments in political science, sociology and management at the Universities of Toronto, Melbourne and Oxford. Beyond academia, he has advised global think tanks, consultancies, development agencies and civil society organizations. His award-winning research investigates how emerging Chinese state and non-state actors influence prevailing theories and practices in international affairs. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Civil Society.