Youth from various countries willing to be advocates for concept of 'a community with a shared future for mankind': GT survey

Editor's Note:

In February 2025, the Global Times Institute (GTI) and the Institute for a Community with Shared Future under the Communication University of China jointly conducted a targeted survey on "social and public ideas/values" in 10 countries - Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, South Africa, Russia, France, the US, and Brazil - focusing on individuals aged 18 to 45. A total of 5,294 valid questionnaires were collected.

The survey has found that the concept of "community" is embedded in the local cultures of various countries. More than 90 percent of respondents believe that the vision of "building a community with a shared future for mankind" reflects the broadest common aspirations of the people of all countries. Nearly 80 percent of respondents consider China's experience to be a useful reference for their own countries, and about 90 percent of respondents have expressed interest or willingness to participate in youth exchange and cooperation.

Common aspirations of people worldwide

The survey showed young people globally are deeply concerned about key international issues. When asked about the most pressing challenges that need to be addressed by the international community, the highest level of concern was for international wars or regional conflicts, with 55 percent selecting this option. Climate change and environmental pollution ranked second, with 50 percent expressing concern. Additionally, terrorism, cybersecurity, and food crises were also significant concerns, each receiving attention from around 40 percent of respondents. Roughly 30 percent were concerned about a potential new cold war and energy crisis.

Over 90 percent of young respondents believe that the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind" should be further promoted in current global affairs.

When asked about specific areas where this concept should be emphasized, international relations and politics, as well as ecological and environmental protection, were the top two, each mentioned by more than half of respondents. Additionally, nearly half of young respondents believed that global economy and international trade, as well as cultural and civilizational exchanges, should also be key areas for advancing this concept.

According to the survey, the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind" aims to create an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, and shared prosperity. Some 94 percent of young respondents said this vision reflects the broadest common aspiration of the peoples of all countries.

The goal of creating a "clean and beautiful" world had the highest expectation rate (76 percent), followed by a "lasting peaceful" world (71 percent), a "universally secure" world (72 percent), a "commonly prosperous" world (72 percent), and an "open and inclusive" world (70 percent).

The overall goal of the "five goals for the world" corresponds to five key action areas, and most young people believe that governments worldwide should prioritize them.

Among these, "promoting peace and development over conflict and confrontation" is the most valued by young respondents, with a selection rate of 81 percent. This is followed by "prioritizing green development to safeguard the planet," which ranks second at 77 percent.

The importance placed on "pursuing common security over absolute security," "pursuing mutual benefit over zero-sum dynamics," and "encouraging cultural exchanges to prevent civilizational clashes" stands at 73 percent, 69 percent, and 72 percent, respectively. In Turkey, the recognition rates for the five aspects range from 80 to 90 percent, higher than that of other countries.

The survey shows that most young people are willing to serve as advocates and promoters of this concept. A total of 76 percent expressed a willingness to introduce the concept to others, with young people in South Africa and India showing the strongest enthusiasm, both at around 90 percent. In Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, over 80 percent shared this willingness.

Ji Deqiang, deputy director of the Institute for a Community with Shared Future at the Communication University of China and an expert guiding this study, said "In recent years, amid mounting global crises, from pandemics and regional conflicts to climate change and AI disruption, there's a growing demand for a unified solution. 'Building a community with a shared future for mankind' offers a viable option, and many countries now look to China to take the lead in safeguarding our 'global village.'"

Ji suggested that in the future, when promoting the joint efforts to "build a community with a shared future for mankind" in more regions and countries, it is essential to consider the needs of different areas, nations, industries, and contexts. This requires a deeper understanding to identify more connections and common grounds between China and other countries.

Shared values in different cultures

The survey specifically invited young people from various countries to share their visions related to the concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind" from their own cultures in the questionnaire. Several respondents from Malaysia mentioned the same proverb: "Unity brings strength, while division leads to decline." The ancient philosophical idea of "the world is one family" was frequently referenced by Indian respondents. A Saudi student born in the 2000s shared an Arab saying: "Our humanity binds us together." From Brazil, a young IT professional recalled, "No one would let go of another one's hand," a phrase symbolizing collective strength and cooperation.

A respondent from Louisiana, the US, born in the 1990s, summed it up: "We are all human, both similar and different. Understanding that - and getting united - will create a better future for everyone."

In Tanzania, people may not possess or be aware of the philosophical knowledge related to the concept, however, in reality, we often live this way; we frequently help one another, and people are actually practicing this concept every day, Adeline Mpuya, assistant lecturer at St. Augustine University of Tanzania, told the Global Times.

Mpuya stated that the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind" closely aligns with the spirit of "Ubuntu," which is about collectiveness, originating from southern Africa and resonates widely across the continent.

The survey also found that the social and cultural contexts of young people in different countries exhibit the same characteristics related to "community." More than half of the respondents believed that their social and cultural circles reflect a general tendency toward "valuing harmony" rather than "encouraging competition."

Among them, respondents from Brazil and Malaysia showed the highest recognition rates, exceeding 70 percent, while those from Turkey and France also surpassed 60 percent.

The survey showed that in the upbringing and cultural influences of young people abroad, "considering the bigger picture" is more advocated than "being responsible only for oneself." Most young respondents abroad indicated that "transcending oneself" aligns more with their cultural characteristics than "winning over others," with the highest proportions found in Brazil and France.

Qiu Ling, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Shandong University, told the Global Times that the indivisibility of real-world issues is driving countries worldwide to collectively consider how to address challenges. He emphasized that this concept resonates across linguistic, ethnic, and cultural boundaries.

Cutting-edge tech gaining favor

"Building a community with a shared future for mankind" requires the joint efforts of young people from both China and abroad. Regarding youth exchange and cooperation initiatives launched by China, about 90 percent of respondents expressed interest or willingness to participate.

Among the various areas of cooperation, exchanges in cutting-edge technology are the most favored, followed by learning about China's history and traditional culture, attending relevant job skills training programs, and studying or conducting academic visits in China.

In terms of country-specific preferences, young respondents from South Africa and India showed a stronger interest in job skills training, while those in the US, France, and Brazil are more eager to explore China's history and traditional culture. In Malaysia and South Africa, about half of the respondents are interested in exchanges and cooperation in the field of cutting-edge technologies.

"China has become better over the last decade" has become a common impression among young respondents. Across eight evaluated dimensions - economic development, science and technology, public safety, infrastructure, universal education, environmental protection, social governance, and social welfare - the majority of respondents believe China is becoming better. Among these, science and technology received the highest approval rate (83 percent), with over half of the respondents rating it as "significantly improved." Additionally, nearly 80 percent of respondents believe China's development experience holds lessons for their own countries, with 34 percent considering it highly significant.

Ling Shengli, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, said that China's hard power in science and technology has greatly impressed overseas youth, and its influence on communication media is also reshaping young people's perceptions. Technological advancements are accelerating global connectivity, further promoting the process of "building a community with a shared future for mankind."

Qiu noted that from the global buzz surrounding the Chinese AI large-scale model DeepSeek to the overseas popularity of Unitree Robotics, the high recognition of China's technological development among youth worldwide paints a more multidimensional image of China - not just as an "ancient civilization" with thousands of years of history, but also as a cutting-edge, modern "technological China." As the AI era approaches, exploring the future direction of technology and life is also one of the key topics for "building a community with a shared future for mankind."

Regarding the level of understanding of China, the survey shows that 15 percent of respondents said they "know very well" or "know much" about China, 36 percent have "some" knowledge, while nearly half have "a little understanding," or "nothing." The proportion of respondents who visited China in the last 10 years is lower than those who visited the US, the UK, or Germany. However, more than half of the respondents were aware of the phenomenon of "American TikTok refugees flooding into the Chinese app RedNote," with 10 percent having participated in it.

"European youths often have limited opportunities to engage with authentic 'Chinese stories.' Many lack knowledge about China as a result of not widening their media knowledge. While European and British youths who have had the opportunity to travel tend to be more open-minded and welcoming toward Chinese culture," Winston Mano, professor of Communication and Media Research Institute at University of Westminster, told the Global Times.

Mano also noted a growing interest among European youth in Chinese short dramas on social media. "These stories entertain, but more importantly, they humanize Chinese and Asian cultures, offering insights into the historical and cultural roots of "a community with a shared future for mankind."

(Graphics/Global Times)