China from the Ground Up
Project Description
China From the Ground Up (CFGU) is a ongoing series of online opinion surveys conducted by the China Data Lab at the 21st Century China Center. The survey series aims to study society-level dynamics in China. Through repeated as well as thematically-focused questions, researchers explore the changes in and diversity of perspectives in the Chinese society in order to gain a more accurate and textured picture of the Chinese people’s everyday concerns, opinions and values. Parallel surveys in both the U.S. and China are also included in the study of public opinion regarding U.S.-China relations.
Methodological Notes
For each survey wave, we recruit around 1,000 respondents using a quota sampling strategy targeting pre-specified proportions of gender, education, age groups and geographic locations.
Our findings only reflect online, urban users and may be subject to social desirability bias — that is, they may be influenced by respondents’ favoring answers in line with regime preferences.
Download Data
China Data Lab has created a database consisting of answers to questions that were asked across multiple waves of the “China from the Ground Up”(CFGU) project.
By September 2023, CFGU has implemented 17 rounds of online surveys targeting of mainland Chinese respondents. The standard sample size is 1,050. The released dataset excludes Wave 8, which is a recontact sample of fewer than 400, and Waves 6 and 10, which are parallel surveys conducted in both China and the U.S.
Survey Waves
Wave 18 Chinese Attitudes toward Globalization
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2023 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Explores public opinion on China’s relationship with the existing international order and the future of globalization.
Sample Size
Wave 17 Change in Covid-Zero Policy
| 2023 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese public attitudes toward the sudden reversal of the COVID-Zero policy.
Sample Size
Wave 16 AI and Wolf Warrior Diplomacy
| 2023 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese public attitudes toward the of artificial intelligence in public service provision, and perceptions toward wolf warrior diplomacy.
Sample Size
Wave 15 Common Prosperity and the Dynamic COVID-zero Policy
| 2022 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese public attitudes toward common prosperity and the dynamic COVID-zero policy.
Sample Size
Wave 14 Social Policies, Ideology, Russia-Ukraine War and International Relations
| 2022 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese public attitudes toward social policies; international relations; general mass ideology and Russia-Ukraine War.
Sample Size
Wave 13 Policy Priorities and Attitude toward Inequality
| 2021 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Conjoint experiments on public attitudes toward policy priorities and feelings about inequality
Sample Size
Wave 12 Economic Inequality
| 2021 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys perceptions of economic inequality, public political support, and redistributive preferences.
Sample Size
Wave 11 Social Credit Score 2nd Round
| 2021 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys public opinion toward the social credit system.
Sample Size
Wave 10 US-China Parallel Survey 2nd Round
| 2021 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys a wide range of topics such as globalization, bilateral relations between China and the U.S., nationalism, support for the political system, etc.
Sample Size
Wave 9 Conspiracy and Trumpism
| 2021 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese individuals’ beliefs about conspiracy theories. Also surveys public opinion in China toward Trump and his policies.
Sample Size
Wave 8 Recontact China Survey
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Invites previous participants to survey a broad range of issues including globalization, trade war, government performance, policy preferences, nationalism, and feelings towards foreign countries.
Sample Size
Wave 7 Recurring China Survey
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys public opinion on a broad range of issues including globalization, trade war, government performance, policy preferences, nationalism, and feelings towards foreign countries.
Sample Size
Wave 6 US-China Parallel Survey
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys a wide range of topics such as globalization, bilateral relations between China and the U.S., nationalism, support for the political system, etc.
Sample Size
Wave 5 Covid-19 & Informal Ties
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys Chinese citizens’ trust in media reports of Covid-19 and their evaluation of government performance in controlling the pandemic. Also surveys beliefs about the role of informal ties in the appointment of government officials.
Sample Size
Wave 4 Economic Inequality & International Relations
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys public perceptions of economic inequality. Also surveys public opinion toward the power struggle between US and China.
Sample Size
Wave 3 Social Credit Score & HK Protests
| 2020 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys public opinion toward the social credit system. Also surveys individuals’ attitudes toward the Hong Kong protests and the election results.
Sample Size
Wave 2 Preference Intensity & Trade Dispute
| 2019 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys individuals’ policy preferences in the case of South China Sea, market economy, censorship of online expression, government monitoring of online behavior and personal phone calls. Also surveys individuals’ reaction to the trade dispute between China and the US.
Sample Size
Wave 1 Baseline Survey
| 2019 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Surveys public opinion on a broad range of issues including globalization, trade war, government performance, policy preferences, nationalism, global warming, and feelings towards foreign countries.
