Instructions:

Thank you for taking part in the survey. This questionnaire is designed to better understand the language challenges and service needs of foreigners living in Yiwu across different areas such as healthcare, legal services, daily life, and emergencies. Your responses will remain anonymous and will be used for research and policy improvement purposes only. There are no right or wrong answers—please answer based on your personal experiences and opinions. The survey will take approximately 10–15 minutes.

Your name:

Contact Info (Mobile Phone/E-mail)

I. Basic Personal Information

1. Your Gender: (Single choice)

Male

Female

Other

Prefer not to disclose

2. Your age (please fill in a number): years old*

3. Your nationality: *

4. Your current city: (Single choice)

Yiwu

Other city:

5. How long have you lived in your current community? (Single choice)

Less than 1 year

1–3 years

4–6 years

7–10 years

More than 10 years

6. Your total length of stay in China: (Single choice)

Less than 1 year

1–3 years

4–6 years

7–10 years

More than 10 years

7. Your highest educational attainment: (Single choice)

Primary school or below

Junior high school

High school/Vocational school

College/University

Master's degree or above

8. Your current marital status: (Single choice)

Married

Partnered/cohabiting

Single

Prefer not to disclose

9. How many children do you have? (Single choice)

No, I don’t have a child.

Yes, I have ________ child/children.

10. Your religion: (Single choice)

None

Islam

Christianity (Protestant)

Catholicism

Orthodox

Buddhism

Hinduism

Taoism

Other:

Prefer not to disclose

II. Language Background and Chinese Learning Experience

1. Your native language is: *

2. Besides your native language, which languages can you use fluently? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

English

Chinese (Mandarin)

Spanish

French

Arabic

Russian

Japanese

Korean

Other:

None

3. How do you evaluate your Chinese proficiency? (1–5 scale, 1 = very poor, 5 = excellent)

	1	2	3	4	5
Listening
Listening
Speaking
Speaking
Reading
Reading
Writing
Writing
Typing
Typing

4. Have you received Chinese language training in China or other countries? (Multiple choice)[Multiple]

Yes, in China

Yea, in other countries

5. How long have you studied Chinese? (Single choice)

Less than 3 months

3 months to 1 year

1–3 years

4–6 years

More than 6 years

6. Your current willingness to learn Chinese: (Single choice)

Very willing

Willing

Neutral

Reluctant

Unwilling

7. How do you primarily learn Chinese currently? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

No Chinese learning experience

Attend language training classes/school courses

Online platforms (e.g., Duolingo, HelloChinese)

Private tutor

Practice with Chinese friends

Self-study (books, podcasts, instructional videos)

Learning through workplace exposure

Watching Chinese TV shows/variety programs

Using translation apps/dictionaries

Other:

8. How would you rate your English proficiency? (1–5 scale, 1 = very poor, 5 = excellent)

	1	2	3	4	5
Listening
Listening
Speaking
Speaking
Reading
Reading
Writing
Writing

III. Language Service Needs in Medical Settings

1. Have you or your family sought medical care in China? (Single choice)

Yes

2. If you need medical services, are you willing to seek care in China? (Single choice)

Very willing

Willing

Neutral

Reluctant

Unwilling

3. If you are hesitant or unwilling to seek medical care in China, what are the main reasons? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Lack of trust in medical standards

Language barriers

Insurance or cost issues

Privacy concerns

Religious or cultural concerns

Unfamiliar with procedures

Other:

Never hesitant or unwilling

4. Which types of medical institutions have you visited in China? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Public hospital

Private hospital

International clinic

Community health service center

Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic

Online platforms

Pharmacy consultation

Other:

5. How often do you seek medical care in China? (Single choice)

More than monthly

Quarterly

1-2 times a year

Rarely or almost never

6. In which of the following situations would you seek medical care in China? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Common illnesses (e.g., cold, fever)

Chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes)

Serious illness or surgery

Vaccinations

Health check-ups

Psychological counseling

Obstetrics/gynecology-related

Emergencies

Other:

7. How would you rate your communication ability during medical visits? (Single choice)

Unable to communicate at all

Can describe simple symptoms

Can handle basic consultations

Can communicate fluently

8. How do you usually communicate during medical visits? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

On my own

With help from family/friends

Translation apps

Company translator

Hired translator

Hospital translator

Other:

9. Have you experienced any of the following language-related difficulties during medical visits? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

The doctor couldn’t understand my expressions

I couldn’t understand the doctor’s explanations or medical terms

I couldn't understand the prescriptions

I couldn’t understand medication instructions or usage

The doctor or nurse spoke English, but I still couldn’t understand

Chinese-speaking companions (e.g., family/friends) present during medical visits but unable to translate medical terms

Hired translator was unclear or inaccurate

Translation was too expensive to afford

Medical procedures were complex and not explained in a language I understand

I was afraid of privacy leaks and avoided using a translator

I did not encounter any communication difficulties

Other:

10-a. Did you delay or give up medical care due to language barriers? (Single choice)

Frequently

Occasionally

Never

Unsure

10-b. If yes, what were the reasons? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Fear of misdiagnosis due to miscommunication

Concerned about complex procedures

No suitable translator or interpreter available

Translation or Interpreting cost was too high

Concern about unclear medical charges

Privacy concerns

Unfamiliarity with the medical system

Other:

11. Do you think translation apps can meet your medical communication needs? (Single choice)

Yes

12. What types of language services would you like hospitals to provide? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

On-site translation and interpretation

Remote phone/video interpreting

Multilingual medical procedure guides/brochures

Translation apps

Advance appointment for translation or interpreting services

Other:

13. If professional translators are provided, what payment method do you prefer? (Single choice)

Free of charge

Acceptable paid service

No preference

14. If paid, what is the acceptable price per session? _______ RMB

Do you think drinking coffee while playing video games makes you nearsighted? (Please choose option C for this question)

A. Yes

B. No

C. I'm happy.

D. I don't know.

15. How much do you need language services in the following situations? (1 = Not needed at all, 5 = Highly needed)

	1	2	3	4	5
Emergency treatment
Emergency treatment
General medical consultation
General medical consultation
Obstetric check-up/ childbirth/ newborn care
Obstetric check-up/ childbirth/ newborn care
Chronic disease treatment
Chronic disease treatment
Serious illnesses
Serious illnesses
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment
Hospital stays
Hospital stays
Health check-up explanation
Health check-up explanation
Vaccination
Vaccination
Payment/Insurance settlement
Payment/Insurance settlement
Psychological counseling
Psychological counseling
Others
Others

16. Do you have any identity preferences for doctors or interpreters during medical visits? (Single choice)

	Yes	No	Only in special cases
Doctor should share the same religious background
Doctor should share the same religious background
Interpreter should share the same religious background
Interpreter should share the same religious background
Interpreter should be of the same gender
Interpreter should be of the same gender

17. Have you ever found it difficult to express private or sensitive issues due to language barriers? (Single choice)

Yes

IV. Language Service Needs in Public Security and Legal Settings

1. Have you ever had contact with public security, immigration, or court departments in China? (Single choice)

Never

Occasionally

Frequently

2. What types of matters have you dealt with? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Reporting an incident or resolving disputes

Handling traffic accidents

Applying for or renewing a passport/visa

Residence permit or foreigner registration and related documents

Legal consultation or court appearances

Other:

3. Did you encounter language barriers during the above processes? (Single choice)

Minor barriers

Serious barriers

4. Did the relevant departments provide language assistance? (Single choice)

Chinese-English translation

Translation in my native language

No translation provided

Not sure

5. Do you think the English communication services of public security/immigration departments are sufficient? (Single choice)

Sufficient, able to handle most matters

Fair, some procedures are unclear

Insufficient, would like more language options

Have never used such services

6. Have you ever delayed or given up handling public/security matters due to language issues? (Single choice)

Yes

Occasionally

Not sure

7. In which situations would you like language services to be provided? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Reporting incidents

Document processing

Legal consultation

Court inquiries

Document interpretation

Other:

8. What types of language service formats do you prefer? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

On-site interpreters at police stations

Remote video interpretation

Multilingual emergency or consultation apps

Multilingual step-by-step guides

Translation services by appointment

Other:

9. Do you find the current bilingual (Chinese-English) government documents helpful? (Single choice)

Very helpful

Somewhat helpful

Not very helpful, I prefer documents in my native language

I cannot read English documents at all

10. Would you like to see documents available in multiple languages? (Single choice)

Not needed at all

Neutral

Somewhat needed

Very much needed

V. Language Service Needs in Daily Life

1. How often do you encounter language barriers in the following daily scenarios? (Matrix question)

	Never	Occasionally	Sometimes	Often	Unable to complete independently
Shopping
Shopping
Renting a home / Viewing houses / Paying utilities
Renting a home / Viewing houses / Paying utilities
Home maintenance
Home maintenance
Getting a SIM card / Internet service
Getting a SIM card / Internet service
Banking services
Banking services
Post office / Courier services
Post office / Courier services
Ordering food delivery
Ordering food delivery
Taking subway, bus, or other public transport
Taking subway, bus, or other public transport
Taking taxis or ride-hailing services
Taking taxis or ride-hailing services
Using government service platforms
Using government service platforms
Children’s schooling / Communication with schools
Children’s schooling / Communication with schools

2. What kind of language services do you hope to provide in daily life scenarios? (Multiple choices)

[Multiple]

Bilingual/multilingual apps (e.g., for services, payments)

Availability of bilingual/multilingual staff at service points

Multilingual signage in public spaces

Foreign resident service windows in communities or subdistricts

Printed or digital guides for daily service procedures

Translation support for daily legal or consumer protection consultation

Other suggestions:

3. Are you interested in participating in the following community language and cultural activities? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Chinese language corners (language exchange)

Chinese language classes for foreign residents

Cross-cultural exchange activities (festivals, lectures, etc.)

Language support for children (to adapt to school education)

Not interested / Unable to participate

VI. Language Service Needs in Emergency Situations

1. Have you ever called emergency hotlines? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

110 (Police)

120 (Ambulance)

119 (Fire)

12345 (Government service hotline)

Never

2. Were you able to communicate effectively during the call? (Single choice)

Smooth communication

Some difficulty

Unable to communicate

Not applicable

3-a. What language(s) did the emergency operator use when speaking to you? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Mandarin

English

My native language

Not sure

Other:

3-b. Did the language(s) used meet your communication needs? (Single choice)

Yes

Partially

4. Have you ever hesitated or decided not to call due to language issues? (Single choice)

No, I called without hesitation

Yes, I hesitated but called eventually

Yes, I decided not to call

I’ve never had to make an emergency call

5. What kinds of language services would you like to have in emergency situations? (Multiple choices)[Multiple]

Mandarin-English hotline

Automatic translation

Multilingual emergency app

Hotline for foreign nationals

Other:

6. Please describe the most severe language communication difficulty you’ve experienced (optional):

Evaluation object score 

9-Understanding Language Access in Yiwu: Tell Us About Your Needs!

Instructions:

9-Understanding Language Access in Yiwu: Tell Us About Your Needs!