European youth hold overall positive image of China: survey

BEIJING, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- A significant 82 percent of Europeans hold a positive view of China, including 19 percent who hold a "very" positive opinion, according to a survey report released on Wednesday.

The "China in the Eyes of European Youth" survey polled 19,025 Europeans aged 18 to 35 across 36 countries. It was carried out by France-based CSA Research, and commissioned by the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and the China-CEE Institute in Hungary.

China's image is strongest in Southeast Europe and the Balkans, as well as in Spain and Britain, according to the survey.

The report notes that 63 percent of respondents are optimistic about the future development of China-Europe relations, and that optimism is rooted in trade and interdependence.

The surveyed youth listed economic and trade cooperation, and sci-tech innovation as the top priorities for future China-Europe cooperation.

The report also reveals the consumption preferences of young Europeans. A total of 40 percent of respondents said they would prioritize Chinese products if given the choice, with higher rates among respondents from Eastern Europe.

Of the respondents who had visited China, 61 percent said they prioritize Chinese products "always or often." That figure rises to 74 percent among those who are frequently exposed to Chinese culture.

Electronics, tech devices, toys, games, textiles and apparel are particularly popular among European youth, the survey showed.

The majority of respondents said that they believe China is closely linked to their daily lives, and that they are generally optimistic about the future of China-Europe cooperation, which lays an important social foundation for the development of China-Europe ties, said Feng Zhongping, director of the CASS Institute of European Studies.