A recent study has revealed that public goodwill toward China in Pakistan has significantly strengthened from 2015 to 2025. Respondents credited the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-linked development, enhanced security, and increased social interaction as key factors behind the positive shift in perceptions.
The study also highlighted that the May 2025 Pakistan-India war further boosted China’s standing among the respondents.
Authored by Dr. Hassan Siddique, communications specialist at the World Bank’s Punjab Green Development Programme, and Yasir Habib Khan, President of the Institute of International Relations and Media Research, the study examined how public perceptions of China evolved before and after the implementation of CPEC.
The study explored two key questions: how Pakistanis viewed China before 2015 and how their opinions changed after a decade of CPEC projects. The researchers surveyed individuals from government, business, academia, media, cultural sectors, think tanks, religious groups, civil society, and the general public.
The survey results showed that respondents credited the development linked to CPEC, enhanced security, and increased social interaction for the positive shift in public sentiment.
Using closed-ended questions, the study measured attitudes across economic, social, and strategic dimensions. Statistical comparisons and visualizations tracked the shifts in public sentiment over time.
Findings indicated that Pakistanis entered the CPEC era with favorable views of China, based on long-standing diplomatic and defense ties. Before 2015, China was primarily seen as a reliable political and strategic ally, but its economic influence was limited. Expectations at the time centered on China taking a more active role in development.
The study reports that public perceptions of China improved further after visible outcomes from CPEC, especially in infrastructure, transport links, and connectivity. Respondents noted improvements in ease of doing business, enhanced security, and greater social interaction between Pakistani and Chinese workers as key contributors to the positive shift.
Cultural exchanges and daily cooperation between workers from both countries were recognized as elements that helped build trust and made CPEC a people-centric initiative.
According to the authors, the most significant factors driving positive perceptions were tangible results and performance. Media exposure and increased people-to-people interactions played a secondary role in reinforcing these views.
The report concluded that Pakistani goodwill toward China is closely tied to the visible outcomes of CPEC, the transparency of the projects, and clear communication of shared goals.
Looking forward, the authors suggest that CPEC’s ongoing expansion and its social impacts will continue to shape public attitudes. The future trajectory of these perceptions will largely depend on the continuation of the projects and their economic outcomes.
Beyond geopolitics, the exchange of ideas between religious groups, think tanks, the bureaucracy (civil, military, and judicial), and cultural and educational exchanges has also played a significant role in shaping these perceptions.
The trend of learning the Chinese language has evolved from being a cultural curiosity to a strategic economic and educational necessity within the context of CPEC. The study found that Pakistani students and professionals increasingly see proficiency in Chinese as an important tool for career advancement, academic mobility, and cross-border collaboration.
Since its official launch in 2015, CPEC has been a major subject of public discourse and research. It is considered one of the most ambitious projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), designed to connect China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. CPEC represents a strategic and economic partnership aimed at transforming Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy, and trade sectors.
The report also noted that the English-language media in Pakistan has largely supported CPEC, reinforcing government narratives while downplaying critical perspectives. Meanwhile, social media has been a platform for both enthusiasm and skepticism surrounding the project.
