Opinion poll report launch of China in the Eyes of European Youth Perspectives of Young Europeans on China-Europe Relations hosted by the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on February 4, 2026.

A survey exploring young Europeans' perception of China and China-Europe relations released on Wednesday revealed that the overall image of China among European youth is generally positive, with more than 80 percent of respondents hold a good opinion of China. 

The launch event for the report, named China in the Eyes of European Youth Perspectives of Young Europeans on China-Europe Relations was hosted by the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with the survey conducted from October 21 to November 25, 2025 among 19,025 young Europeans aged 18 to 35 across 36 countries. 

According to the result, China enjoys a generally positive image among young Europeans, particularly in Southeastern Europe, Spain and the UK.

The survey result points out that young Europeans have a limited direct experience of China, yet consume its products widely. A total of 40 percent of young Europeans prioritize Chinese products when given a choice, with higher rates in Eastern Europe (44 percent).

Among them, the report found out that three Chinese product categories: electronics and technology, toys and games, textile and apparel are particularly popular among European youth.

"China may feel far away, but it is deeply connected to Europe," Nataša Radosavljevic-Gaberova, professor from School of European Languages and Cultures of Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. She added that cultural exchange between countries is vital, as it is a shared spread that does not end with a single individual.

China previously decided to extend its unilateral visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries to December 31, 2026. Under the policy, holders of ordinary passports from those countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Hungary, will be exempted from visa requirement if they enter China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friend visits, exchange and transit. China also decides to include Sweden in the visa-free scheme effective from November 10, 2025 to December 31, 2026, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

In recent years, shifts in Europe's perceptions of China and disruptions from external shocks have caused frequent fluctuations in the relation of China and Europe, said Feng Zhongping, director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. However, their close economic and trade ties have endowed both sides with strong endogenous driving forces for development, endowing the relation with remarkable resilience. 

While the survey was conducted between October 21 and November 30, 2025, the global landscape has since undergone momentous changes over the past two months, Feng said, citing the situation in Venezuela and Greenland. Europe's perceptions of the US have shifted profoundly, and the relation with China are taking a pivotal turn as Europe reassesses its foreign policy. 

The report noted that rather than seeing competition between China and Europe as the main geopolitical issue, the young Europeans interviewed identify the Ukraine Crisis and US influence as more important.

Feng said during the launch that looking ahead, China and Europe should translate the positive perceptions and collaborative aspirations of young people into tangible and accessible practical outcomes, offset external uncertainties with more stable and predictable cooperation, and open up new space for the development of the relation of China Europe amid global changes.