Eighty-six percent of respondents praised China's advancements in digital technology, according to a report released Wednesday by Renmin University of China (RUC) in Beijing.
The 2025 Global Public Digital Technology Perception Report, conducted by the university's Global Opinion Research Center, surveyed 7,599 participants from 38 countries through an international online sample pool.
The report covers five key areas, including improvements in daily life brought by digital technologies, expectations and concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), and growing recognition of China's digital tech in the Global South.
Regional analysis shows the highest approval rates for Chinese digital technology -- Africa at 94.3 percent, South America at 93 percent, Southeast Asia at 91.1 percent, South Asia and Central Asia at 90.7 percent, and the Middle East at 88.1 percent.
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More than half the respondents consider AI and e-commerce as China's leading digital sectors, according to the report. E-commerce platforms like Temu and SHEIN have rapidly grown globally through competitive pricing and efficient supply chains.
Meanwhile, Chinese AI firms are advancing quickly with open, fast-paced development strategies. In regions such as Africa, Chinese AI is increasingly viewed as a driver of smart infrastructure and digital governance.
"Chinese tech companies are widely seen as leaders in digital innovation. Earlier this year, DeepSeek's R1 model delivered strong performance with minimal computing resources. Tencent's Hunyuan and Alibaba's Qwen large language models also ranked among top performers in benchmarks. Meanwhile, Alipay and WeChat Pay continue expanding globally, providing users with convenient payment solutions," said Zhang Di, professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, RUC.
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The report also notes that 83.6 percent of the Global South respondents see Chinese digital technology as a positive force in their countries. Cooperation in technology, infrastructure, and talent development is strengthening, supporting both the internationalization of Chinese tech companies and digital growth in these countries.
Worldwide, attitudes toward innovation vary significantly between developing and developed nations, with 74.2 percent from developing countries closely following global tech trends, compared to just 50.5 percent in developed countries.
The survey indicates that 62.7 percent believe AI positively impacts work efficiency, while 64.9 percent see benefits for student learning. However, only 34.9 percent expressed optimism about AI's effects on employment opportunities.