Belt and Road Initiative: Cross-Cultural Perception Survey among Iranian Youth

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey.

The "Belt and Road" Initiative (BRI) is an important international cooperation proposal put forward by China, aiming to promote common development and connectivity among partner countries through infrastructure construction, trade and investment, energy cooperation, technological exchanges, and cultural and educational interactions. Iran, as one of the key participating countries in this initiative, is engaged with it in multiple fields.

This questionnaire aims to understand the image dissemination and acceptance of the Belt and Road Initiative among Iran’s "Generation Z". Through your honest feedback, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness, challenges, and potential improvements of cross-cultural communication of this initiative.

The questionnaire is anonymous, and your personal information will not be disclosed. It will take approximately 5–7 minutes to complete. Every answer you provide is very valuable to our research.

Once again, thank you sincerely for your support and cooperation!

1. Your age

18–22 years old23–28 years old29–35 years old

2. Your gender

MaleFemaleRather not say

3. Your occupation

StudentCompany employeeGovernment / institutional employeeFreelancerEducator / researcherOther

4. Your highest level of education

High school or belowBachelor’s degree (current or graduated)Master’s degree or above

5. Your city of residence

6. Have you ever heard of the "Belt and Road" Initiative?

YesNo

7. When did you first hear about the "Belt and Road"?

Within the last year1–3 years ago3–5 years agoMore than 5 years ago

8. Through which channels have you mainly learned about the "Belt and Road"?

News websites / appsSocial media (Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.)Television / radioSchool courses or lecturesFriends / familyOfficial promotional materialsOther

9. Which of the following areas do you know are involved in the "Belt and Road"?

Transportation and infrastructure constructionEnergy cooperationCultural and educational exchangesTechnology and digital economyTrade and investmentHealthcare cooperationEnvironmental protectionNot sure

10. Which countries do you know participate in the "Belt and Road"?

ChinaIranPakistanRussiaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyNot sure

Part III: Depth of Awareness

11. What do you think are the main benefits of the "Belt and Road" for Iran?

Promote economic growthImprove transportation and portsIncrease employment opportunitiesRaise the level of technological cooperationEnhance cultural diversityEnhance Iran’s international standingNot sure

12. What challenges or risks do you think the "Belt and Road" might bring?

Economic dependenceEnvironmental issuesCultural conflictImpact on local industriesLack of transparencyNo obvious risksNot sure

13. Do you know of any specific projects or activities related to the "Belt and Road" inside Iran?

Yes, and I can give an exampleI have heard of them, but cannot specifyNot at all

14. Do you think the "Belt and Road" has changed China’s image among Iranian youth?

Significantly more positiveSlightly more positiveNo changeSlightly more negativeSignificantly more negativeNot sure

15. Have you ever been exposed to Chinese films, music, books, or news content?

FrequentlyOccasionallyRarelyNever

16. Have you noticed the overall attitude of Iranian media coverage toward "Belt and Road" related content?

Mostly positiveNeutral and objectiveMostly negativeMixed attitudesI haven’t noticed

Part IV: Personal Views

17. What is your overall attitude toward the "Belt and Road" Initiative?

Strongly supportSomewhat supportNeutralSomewhat opposeOppose

18. If given the opportunity, would you be willing to participate in Iran-China cultural exchange activities?

Very willingWillingIndifferentUnwillingVery unwilling

19. How effective do you think the cross-cultural communication of the "Belt and Road" has been in Iran?

Very effectiveModeratePoorCompletely ineffectiveNot sure

20. What do you think are the main problems in current communication?

Too little information, hard to learnInformation is too official, not attractive to young peopleContent has weak connection to Chinese cultureMany negative news stories or misunderstandingsLanguage barrier (many materials in Chinese/English)Lack of interaction and participation opportunitiesOther

21. What forms of Iran-China cross-cultural activities would you most like to see?

Cultural festivals / art exhibitionsScholarships / study abroad programsYouth forums or dialogue eventsSports competitions (football, martial arts, etc.)Language exchange (Chinese/Persian)Internship opportunities at Chinese companiesShort video or social media challengesOther

22. What type of content do you think could better attract Iranian youth to learn about China?

Chinese technology and innovation (high-speed rail, AI, smartphones, etc.)Traditional Chinese culture (festivals, cuisine, kung fu, etc.)Contemporary Chinese life and pop culture (e.g., Chinese idols similar to K-pop? variety shows)Historical connections between Iran and China (the ancient Silk Road)Successful cases of economic cooperationOther

23.

In one or two sentences, please give your suggestions for the communication of the "Belt and Road" in Iran

Part V: Willingness to Learn

(The "Belt and Road" Initiative is an important international cooperation proposal put forward by China, aiming to promote common development and connectivity among partner countries through infrastructure construction, trade and investment, energy cooperation, technological exchanges, and cultural and educational interactions. Iran, as one of the key participating countries in this initiative, is engaged with it in multiple fields.)

24. Are you interested in learning about the "Belt and Road" Initiative?

Very interestedSomewhat interestedNeutralNot very interestedNot interested at all

25. Through which channels would you prefer to learn about the "Belt and Road"?

News websites / appsSocial media (Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.)School courses or lecturesIntroduction by friends or familyOfficial promotional materialsOther

26. Which aspects of the "Belt and Road" would you most like to learn about?

Economic impact on IranConcrete examples of cooperation projectsCultural exchanges and youth opportunitiesTechnology and digital cooperationEnvironmental protection and sustainable developmentOther

27. If the opportunity arises, would you be willing to participate in Iran-China youth exchange activities about the "Belt and Road"?

Very willingSomewhat willingIndifferentUnwilling

28. Which form do you think would most attract you to actively learn about the "Belt and Road"?

Short videos or animated explanationsOnline lectures / youth forumsCampus or community information campaignsInteractive games or mini-appsIntroductions by celebrities or influencersOther

End of the questionnaire. Thank you again for your participation!

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