Chinese Citizens Research Articles

What motivates the intention of seeking confirmed cases' activity trajectory information in public health emergencies? An information ecology theory analysis

PurposeIn public health emergencies, seeking confirmed cases’ activity trajectory information (CCATI) is crucial to the public’s efforts to combat the epidemic. The public can stabilize their sentiments and mitigate the risk of cross-infection by obtaining CCATI. We investigated the factors influencing users' intentions to seek CCATI to enhance the government’s risk communication capabilities and improve information platform services.Design/methodology/approachWe analyzed how information ecological factors affect the intention to seek CCATI through perceived value. Data was collected from 429 Chinese citizens during the fourth wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We used the structural equation model technology and bootstrap mediation effect test to examine the model.FindingsInformation understandability, information relevance, perceived severity and perceived vulnerability directly and positively affect the intention of seeking CCATI. While, the above relationships are also partially mediated by emotional value and functional value. Social support directly and negatively affects the intention of seeking CCATI, while the relationship is also partially mediated by emotional value and functional value. Curiosity directly and positively affects the intention of seeking CCATI, while the relationship is also partially mediated by emotional value. The relationship between the quality of the search service and the intention of seeking CCATI is not significant, instead, it is fully mediated by functional value. The influence effect of information relevance on the intention of seeking CCATI is the greatest, followed by perceived vulnerability. The mediating effect of functional value is higher than emotional value.Practical implicationsThe findings may help governments enhance their risk communication capabilities and improve epidemic prevention and control measures, enhancing the appeal of information platforms.Originality/valueWe focused on CCATI, an area with limited scholarly attention. We analyzed CCATI-seeking factors using an information ecology theory, introducing perceived value as a mediator, thus offering novel perspectives and models.

Using social networks to study the political culture of modern China

The article systematizes the main approaches adopted by a group of researchers from MGIMO University, HSE University and the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, united within the framework of the ”Moscow Project for the Study of Chinese Political Culture”, to investigate the political culture of modern China through the monitoring of social networks. The authors analyze the existing ideas about political culture in the Chinese academic discourse, identify problems in studying the political views of Chinese citizens by traditional sociological methods (surveys, questionnaires). They further explain the relevance of using social network analysis in modern studies of Chinese society, and also describe the methodology they developed for studying social networks using sentiment analysis. The article lays the theoretical and methodological basis for further research on modern Chinese society based on an array of data from Chinese social networks.

Public Attitudes and Sentiments toward Common Prosperity in China: A Text Mining Analysis Based on Social Media

Since 2021, China’s promotion of common prosperity has captured global attention and sparked considerable debate. Yet, scholarly examination of the Chinese public’s attitudes toward this policy, which is crucial for guiding China’s strategic directions, remains limited. To address this gap, this paper collects 256,233 Sina Weibo posts from 2021 to 2023 and utilizes text mining methods such as temporal and trend analysis, keyword analysis, topic analysis, and sentiment analysis to investigate the attitudes and emotions of the Chinese people towards common prosperity. The posts holding negative sentiments are also analyzed, so as to uncover the underlying reasons for the dissatisfaction among Chinese citizens regarding common prosperity. Our analysis reveals that China’s strategy for promoting common prosperity is primarily focused on economic development rather than wealth redistribution. Emphasis is placed on enhancing education, achieving regional balance, implementing market-oriented reforms, and improving livelihoods. Notably, there is increasing public dissatisfaction, particularly with issues such as irregularities in financial and real estate markets, growing wealth inequality, exploitation by capital, generation of illicit income, and regional development imbalances. These challenges necessitate urgent and effective policy interventions.

Unveiling Public Perception and Interpretation of China’s National Self-Image: Analyzing Chinese Online Commentary Data

This research study aims to address the oversight in previous studies that focused on constructing China’s image through the media without investigating how audiences perceive and interpret that depiction. This study aims to investigate how Chinese internet users perceive China’s self-image to understand Chinese citizens’ attitudes and reactions to political propaganda circulated by Chinese authorities online more effectively. To achieve this, we have chosen “This is China,” an online political program that presents China’s self-image. A total of 60,648 comments were collected and analyzed. For the analysis, T-LDA, Sentiment Analysis, and Semantic Network Analysis were employed. The study reveals six significant factors: Real-Life Stress, Patriotic Sentiment, Rational Emotion, Program Style, Presenter’s Public Persona, and Ironic Remarks, all of which shape the public’s perception of China’s image. Specifically, the study finds that Patriotism and Program Style have a positive influence on the audience’s perception, while the other factors hinder a favorable interpretation of the nation’s image.

Understanding social attitudes towards autonomous driving: a perspective from Chinese citizens

Understanding social attitudes towards autonomous driving: a perspective from Chinese citizens

The Effect of Turkey’s (Türkiye) Country Image on Country Reputation: A Study From The Perspective of Citizens of The People’s Republic of China

In the 21st century, with globalization, the concepts of image and reputation have become indispensable for countries, and studies on these concepts have gained momentum in the literature. One of the countries that has accelerated its image and reputation efforts is the Republic of Türkiye, located in the west of Asia. Since its establishment, the Republic of Türkiye has developed political and economic relations with many countries. One of these countries is the People’s Republic of China, located east of Asia. China and Türkiye have continued their political, economic, and cultural relations since the 2000s. This study examines the impact of Türkiye’s country image on the country’s reputation from the perspective of Chinese citizens and also reveals how Chinese citizens perceive Türkiye’s image and reputation. The study involved conducting face-to-face surveys using a convenience sampling method with 434 Chinese citizens in Shanghai between December 21-31, 2023. Due to incorrect and missing data, the data of 420 participants were analyzed. The data was subjected to reliability tests, factor analyses, frequency analyses, and regression analyses. The analysis concluded that Chinese citizens’ perception of Türkiye significantly effects the country’s reputation.

How to Enhance Public Participation in Environmental Governance? Evidence from China

Public participation in environmental governance plays a pivotal role in fostering a healthy and sustainable relationship between society and the environment. Despite the convenience afforded by the internet, the level of participation among Chinese citizens remains notably low. Thus, enhancing public enthusiasm for environmental governance is imperative, particularly given the paucity of academic research in this area. To address this gap, we employed the volume of messages on a leadership message board as a proxy for measuring the motivation behind public participation in environmental governance. Utilizing a provincial panel regression analysis, we investigated the determinants of public participation and subsequently conducted a mechanism analysis. Our findings reveal that deteriorating local air quality correlates with heightened motivation for public involvement in environmental governance. Additionally, increased public attention to environmental issues significantly amplifies this motivation, with the availability of internet access and the degree of emphasis placed by local governments on public participation further facilitating this process. This study contributes a theoretical and empirical foundation for enhancing public engagement in environmental governance, thereby fostering the development of a sustainable society.

When digital money meets relational surveillance: overseeing and reshaping people’s ordinary lives, emotions, and social relations in small towns and villages through Alipay

This study situates Alipay, China’s biggest financial platform, at the convergence of a communication medium that conveys symbolic messages, including the state’s political campaigns of the Chinese Dream and shared meanings of positive emotions, and a cultural technology that aims to improve, train, and monitor Chinese citizen subjects through a set of surveillance practices. I coin the term relational surveillance to broaden our understanding of how surveillance practices incorporate emotional differentials and power dynamics inherent in economic interactions, and how the characteristics of these interactions matter for the ways through which surveillance practices affect people’s social lives in small towns and villages. I suggest that everyday surveillance practices serve to establish, maintain, and reconfigure social relationships among users as borrowers, financial platforms as lenders, and local governors as facilitators and regulators. These practices involve the management of emotional connections toward economic well-being and the ritualization of self-monitoring, self-tracking, and self-disclosure as a special form of bookkeeping and record-keeping.

The Effects of Trust, Distrust, and Motivation on Information Behaviors: The Cases of GM Food and Food Additives in China

Food-related issues have recently become one of the most salient and controversial issues and have received increasing media and scholarly attention. This study examines the distinct effects of trust and distrust on the public’s information behaviors, specifically in the context of two food-related issues including GM food and food additives. This study employs a cross-sectional survey with 1,089 Chinese citizens. This study demonstrates that trust and motivation positively predicted information transmission behaviors (i.e., information sharing and forwarding) and information acquisition behaviors (i.e., information attending and seeking). Distrust, on the other hand, predicted only information transmission behaviors. Motivation’s effects on information acquisition behaviors were moderated by trust. This study contributes to the field of health information by expanding STOPS’ applicability to food-related risk contexts, conducting research with culturally distinct populations different from those featured in prior research, and distinguishing the roles of trust and distrust in influencing information behaviors.

Causes And Solutions for Low Turnout Rates in Chinese Local Elections: From A Plebeian Perspective

There have been ample academic efforts discussing prospects of liberalizing the authoritarian regime in China, but most of them primarily addressed possible institutional reforms by the party and to some extent overlooked importance of the mass. Therefore, this article attempts to identify factors that dissuade or refrain Chinese citizens from voting in local elections and devise corresponding solutions, for their political enthusiasm to be improved independently of state sanctions, while the finding may provide a novel theory regarding weak correlation between the level of political freedom and turnout rate in liberal democracies. By considering subjects as economic agents in cost-benefit analysis, the combination of underestimated benefits and overestimated costs of voting is highlighted as one fundamental reason for non-voting, which comprises of antiquated cultural norms, aloof social relations and inappropriately handled class struggles. In response to phenomenon of apoliticism, political cynicism or political inactiveness, this paper suggests eligible voters to keenly defend their interests, for instance studying publicized government information, participating in trade unions and respecting their suffrage, as the prerequisite for becoming genuinely and consistently active in political affairs.

Under the banner of heritage conservation: The gentrification of dilapidated low-income neighborhoods in the Daming Palace Protection and Renovation Project

Understanding the dynamics and implications of urban redevelopment projects, particularly in the context of China's rapid urbanization, could inform sustainable and inclusive urban development strategies. This abstract provides an overview of the Daming Palace Protection and Renovation Project (DPPRP). Unlike other redevelopment projects that prioritize economic benefits, the DPPRP is predominantly driven by political interests, with cultural and economic factors playing supporting roles. As part of the broader integrated conservation and redevelopment program, the DPPRP holds political significance, and its implementation demonstrates clear state involvement, led by the local government. The response from residents reflects the failure of China's attempts to promote citizen participation in local governance, suggesting challenges even for participatory authoritarianism. These developments have negative implications for Chinese citizens' pursuit of their right to the city, hindering their ability to shape urban spaces and participate meaningfully in decision-making processes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Daming Palace Protection and Renovation Project (DPPRP) in China, providing insights for policymakers and urban planners to enhance the effectiveness and inclusivity of urban redevelopment projects.

On the Constitutionalization of Chinese Citizens’ Environmental Rights

The citizen’s environmental right is an important part of the modern legal system. It aims at protecting the basic rights and interests of citizens, promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. The right needs to be effectively guaranteed and implemented through laws, policies and social actions. Environmental rights have been gradually accepted by all countries in the world. Although the idea of environmental rights into the constitution has a long history, it has a different era significance in the present. The construction of a beautiful new China and a beautiful new world requires the promotion and protection of environmental rights in the Constitution. In the new era, China still faces severe ecological and environmental problems at home and abroad. In order to effectively solve the environmental problems facing China, fulfill the state responsibility for environmental protection and the task of The Times for environmental governance, the Constitution should stipulate citizens’ environmental rights.

The relationship between health literacy and health-related quality of life in Chinese older adults: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and health-related quality of life in older adults. A cross-sectional survey design was used. We used a self-administered questionnaire to assess sociodemographic factors of older adults, the Chinese Citizen Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQC) and the 36-item Chinese version of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) to measure health literacy and quality of life, respectively, among older adults. Between September 2011 and June 2012, information was collected from 1,396 older adults in 44 nursing homes in four cities through face-to-face interviews. The mean health literacy level of older adults in nursing homes was relatively low (71.74 ± 28.35). Health-related quality of life scores were moderate (104.77 ± 16.92). There were statistically significant differences in the effects of health literacy, education level, former occupation (professional), marital status (widowed) and race on health-related quality of life. Improving health literacy is considered an important intervention to promote health-related quality of life in older adults in nursing homes.

Analysis of current situation and influencing factors of marital adjustment in patients with Crohn's disease and their spouses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the marital adjustment of patients with Crohn's disease and their spouses, and to analyze its influencing factors. It lays the investigation foundation for the follow-up binary study of Crohn's disease patients and their spouses. Using convenience sampling, 177 pairs of patients and their spouses from a tertiary hospital in Nanjing, China were selected. With face-to-face electronic questionnaires to survey the patient and spouse, the contents include the Lock-Wollance Marriage Adjustment Test, Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizens, Couple Support Questionnaire, and Distress Self-Disclosure Scale. The marital adjustment score of patients was (99.03 ± 24.25), and the marital adjustment score of spouses was (99.61 ± 25.39). The proportions of patients with marital disorders and their spouses with marital disorders were 52.5% and 46.9%, respectively. Multiple linear regression showed that the spouse's age, family monthly income, time of diagnosis of Crohn's, distress self-disclosure, marital support, and subjective well-being were important factors influencing the marital adjustment of patients. Self-disclosure of spousal distress, marital support, age, and subjective well-being were important factors that influenced spouses' marital adjustment. Most couples with Crohn's disease have marital disorders, and their marital adjustment affects each other. However, the assessment results of one partner should not be limited to replacing those of the couple. In clinical practice, patient age, monthly family income, self-disclosure of distress, marital support, and subjective well-being should be considered. Spouses should be encouraged to participate in patient care and patient-spouse interventions should be implemented as a whole to improve marital stability.

Under No Circumstances? What the Chinese Really Think about the Wartime Use of Nuclear Weapons

Abstract The idea of using nuclear weapons to kill noncombatants is said to evoke strong moral opprobrium among millions of individuals across the globe, such that national leaders should be constrained from using the weapons even when such a decision would be strategically sensible. Classical area scholarship and recent survey evidence suggest that this “nuclear taboo” is strong among the Chinese public, buttressed by culturally grounded preferences for moderation in warfare. Drawing on findings in cultural sociology and political behavior, we argue that previous studies mislead on the extent to which ordinary Chinese citizens might oppose the use of nuclear weapons in a real military clash, primarily due to a failure to distinguish baseline preferences for nuclear nonuse from the willingness to approve of governmental decisions to use these weapons. Results from an original survey experiment fielded in mainland China show that many individuals who personally dislike the idea of using nuclear weapons are nonetheless willing to support their leaders’ decision to do so. Our study contributes new and systematic knowledge about Chinese nuclear attitudes and highlights the value of harnessing interdisciplinary insights to inform the research agenda on the nuclear taboo.

Association of Lifestyle Factors with Multimorbidity Risk in China: A National Representative Study

Multimorbidity significantly impacts health, well-being, and the economy; therefore, exploring notable factors associated with multimorbidity across all age groups is critical. For this investigation, we focused on the relationship between four lifestyle factors and multimorbidity risk. We recruited 11,031 Chinese citizens aged ≥ 12 years from 31 provinces between July 2021 and September 2021 using a quota sampling strategy to ensure that the socioeconomic characteristics (sex, age, rural–urban distribution) of those participating in this research were representative of national demographics. In the first stage, multivariable logistic regression models were utilized as a means of investigating the relationship between lifestyle factors and multimorbidity. Then, a multinomial logistic regression model was used with the aim of examining the Healthy Lifestyle Profile (HLP) related to the number of chronic diseases. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the interaction effects and joint association among the four lifestyle factors. Overall, 18% of the participants had at least one disease, and 5.9% had multimorbidity. Approximately two-thirds of the participants were physically inactive, 40% had consumed alcohol, 39% were underweight or overweight, and 20% were or had been smokers. Participants who maintained one HLP showed a 34% lower multimorbidity risk (adjusted OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.92), while participants who maintained 4 HLP showed a 73% lower multimorbidity risk (adjusted OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.43), as compared to those who had 0 HLP. The joint association analysis revealed that participants with all four healthy lifestyle factors had 0.92 times lower odds of multimorbidity (95% CI: 0.90, 0.94) in comparison with the all-unhealthy reference cluster. Notably, individuals with a combination of healthy smoking status and healthy body weight had the highest minimized odds of multimorbidity (OR: [0.92], 95% CI: 0.91, 0.94). Common lifestyle habits, alone or in combination, are associated with multimorbidity risk. This study provides insights for public health programs to promote a healthy lifestyle at a younger age and to alleviate multimorbidity risk in older people.

Rallying around the vaccine: how state-level risk perceptions and nationalism motivate public acceptance of immunization program

This article presents new arguments on the role of trust in the government and nationalist sentiments in fostering policy-compliant behaviors. In July and September 2020, we launched two waves of a COVID-related survey in China with stratified quota sampling, and formed a longitudinal panel dataset of 822 responses. Based on the data, we examined how risk perceptions and nationalist sentiments jointly elicited trust in government agencies and, consequently, support for the state-sponsored immunization program. We argue that increasing concern about the risk to the state posed by the pandemic motivated Chinese citizens to rally around the government and comply with its vaccination drives. Nationalist sentiments simultaneously elevated risk perceptions, reinforcing their impact on trust in the government. Our findings contribute to the literature on crisis governance, offering new evidence on how trust in the government and nationalist sentiment may influence the dynamic interplay between risk perceptions and policy compliance.

Istoriya formirovaniya sportivnyh disciplin kak elementa razvitiya obshchestva v Kitae

In this article, the authors conducted an in-depth study on the formation of a system of comprehensive education of Chinese citizens. In particular, the aspect of the influence of sports as a significant system of social development is considered. The authors consider a number of theoretical and practical issues regarding problematic topics. The prerequisites for the integration of sports into the list of academic disciplines, as well as a retrospective of the introduction of sports into educational programs, are revealed. In the course of the research, the importance of martial arts as a key direction in the sports education of young people and the relationship of this sport with the formation of a personality are analyzed in detail. In conclusion, the article presents the current state of sports education in educational institutions in China.

Mental health in China: exploring the impacts of built environment, work environment, and subjective perception.

The shifting living and working conditions have profound impacts on the residents' mental health. However, current research in this field has not remarkable investigated. This study used the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS) dataset from 2018 and relied on a regression model to examine the effects of the built environment, work environment, and subjective perception on the mental health of Chinese citizens. It also considers the circumstances of both migrants and local residents. This study revealed significant correlations between mental health and greening space rate, road network density, commuting time, work feelings, community trust, economic satisfaction, and other factors. Additionally, the mental health of local residents was shown to be significantly affected by community security, while it shows no significance in migrants. Furthermore, a significant spatial autocorrelation was found in terms of mental health within the central and eastern regions of China. The findings of this study offer valuable insights that can be used to facilitate measures aimed at improving the mental health of residents and promoting the development of healthy cities.

External coercion and public support: The case of the US–China trade war

Domestic support is crucial for state leaders facing international challenges. Previous studies suggest that in both democracies and autocracies, citizens tend to support their government in resisting external coercion, and state leaders would pay high political costs for backing down, especially after they have publicly committed to standing firm. But it is also frequently assumed that the public would grow weary of international conflict and turn to peaceful settlement. Empirical research on how and why this presumed shift in public opinion would take place remains relatively scarce. This article tackles this issue by examining the dynamics of Chinese public opinion during the US–China trade war in 2018. With a two-wave survey of Chinese citizens, I explore how the government’s strategy affected public approval through two causal mechanisms: the state’s reputation for resolve and economic impact. I find that respondents’ support for standing firm was strengthened by gains in reputation for resolve but attenuated by anticipated economic losses. I also find that respondents were more sensitive to the anticipated economic losses of a prolonged trade war over time and that respondents’ preferences were constantly conditional on their pre-existing anti-American sentiment. These findings illuminate the nuanced considerations of an authoritarian audience whose calculations extend beyond sheer nationalist beliefs and dynamically respond to changing circumstances.