Ethnic minority groups residing in the outer regions of China—such as Mongols, Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Kazakhs—are facing growing pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to align with its political and cultural ideologies.
A recent article published in the Social Science Quarterly journal, reveals insights into Chinese and Mongolian attitudes about their national heritage, identity, cultural homogeneity, education, awareness of external influence, economic inequality, and position on a Chinese or Russian invasion of Mongolia.
RIWI is proud to have been a partner in this research, facilitating surveys in China and Mongolia of over 7000 respondents. The survey spanned all 34 regions of China and all 21 provinces (Aimags) of Mongolia. In total, 5,028 Chinese and 2,003 Mongolian respondents participated in the surveys, making it one of the most representative studies of China and Mongolia to date.
Accurately capturing the socio-political pulse of Chinese and Mongolian respondents required breaking through geographical and political barriers. To accomplish this, Dr. Shannon C. Houck of the Naval Postgraduate School employed RIWI’s Random Domain Intercept Technology (RDIT) to capture diverse, anonymous voices from across both nations.
Here are some key insights from the report:
- Chinese respondents demonstrated high levels of national pride, often linked to China’s global ascendancy.
- Conversely, Mongolians’ pride stemmed from their historical identity and democratic resilience.
- The study revealed that 46% of Chinese respondents supporting hypothetical military actions against Mongolia.
- While the majority of Mongolians (62%) expressed readiness to defend their sovereignty.
- Respondents highlighted contrasting views on cultural traditions, particularly around the Lunar New Year. Mongolian respondents emphasized the cultural distinctiveness of the two holidays more than their Chinese counterparts.
- While Chinese respondents were generally accepting of intermarriage, Mongolians expressed reservations, with fears rooted in potential cultural erosion and demographic shifts.
Read the full report here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ssqu.13479?af=R
