Global Gen Z upbeat on China's economic future

How does Generation Z around the world perceive China's current and future economic trajectory? Recently, China Daily's 21st Century English Education Media conducted a survey involving 209 young people from 59 countries, providing insights into this generation's views on China's rationality, openness, and economic outlook.

At the same time, in an era marked by constant innovation and rapid change, Chinese companies are experiencing an unprecedented wave of globalization. To better understand how global young people view Chinese enterprises expanding abroad, 21st Century conducted a second survey with 216 Gen Zers from 64 countries and regions.

The two reports reveal a common trend among global Gen Z:China is becoming a more present, tangible, and "real" part of their daily lives — and increasingly, their future career plans.

As the generation most likely to engage with China in the years ahead — whether through politics, business, or cultural exchange — Gen Z brings a unique way of processing information. As digital natives, they are used to navigating massive volumes of data, extracting what matters, and building their own cognitive frameworks from what they see and experience.

Understanding China through their lens provides a valuable and relatively objective reference point. It helps highlight genuine progress in economic development and cultural exchange, while also offering guidance for adjusting how China communicates its global story and image more accurately.

The surveys show that 86.26 percent of respondents hold an optimistic or relatively optimistic view of China's economic prospects. They recognize China's role in globalization and appreciate its emphasis on cooperation and opposition to unilateral hegemony.

However, they are also aware of the challenges China faces, including economic transformation pressures, structural constraints, and external uncertainties.

When it comes to Chinese companies going global, Gen Z respondents acknowledge their brand strength, technological innovation, and supply-chain efficiency. But they also note the difficulties these companies may face in adapting to local markets and conditions.

Overall, this balanced perspective suggests that global Gen Z trusts tangible facts, actively filters out misinformation, and strives to understand China on more objective terms.

Notably, Gen Z is largely uninterested in empty grand narratives. Instead, they prefer to understand China through everyday experiences — using Chinese internet platforms, shopping cross-border for Chinese products, connecting with Chinese short videos, or engaging locally with services offered by Chinese firms. These small, direct touchpoints often shape their broader impressions of China more than official messaging does.

According to the surveys, more than 90 percent of respondents are familiar with brands such as Huawei, Alibaba, and Xiaomi, while Tencent and Bilibili have recognition rates above 80 percent. Yet Gen Z does not want to remain passive consumers — they also express interest in actively participating in the creation and development of Chinese products.

China's technology ecosystem, industrial prospects, and convenient lifestyle offer many opportunities for participation, personal achievement, and career development.

Encouraging this kind of "two-way engagement" and helping Gen Z form a more grounded understanding of China should be an important goal for Chinese companies overseas.

The reports also indicate that global Gen Z primarily learns about China through social media, where information is often fragmented. Digital platforms are therefore a double-edged sword: they can amplify Chinese voices and visibility, but they can also accelerate the spread of incomplete, distorted, or outdated narratives.

For Chinese companies overseas, building a strong and credible global image requires a clear strategy. First, they should strengthen their official media presence and deliver high-quality content on social platforms to improve information reach and help Gen Z form a more systematic understanding of China. Second, content should be tailored to the right platforms and formats to better capture Gen Z's attention and habits.

Finally, it is crucial to maintain confidence in China's own voice and storytelling: showcasing achievements with clarity, engaging through dialogue, and prioritizing co-creation over one-way preaching.

Gen Z makes decisions based on lived experience and real opportunities. For that reason, communicating China's image overseas is most effective when it is gradual, natural, and rooted in meaningful participation rather than overt messaging.

Written by Sun Yixue, dean of the International School at Tongji University in Shanghai. His research focuses on comparative literature, world literature, and the international dissemination of Chinese culture. He has conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and has been a senior visiting scholar at the University of Virginia and Arizona State University in the US.