While governments keep talking about a 'West vs. East' global showdown, most regular people don't actually care about picking a team.
April 13, 2026
Original Paper
Bifurcation or Pragmatism? The Cognitive Map of a Rising Power
SSRN · 6448180
The Takeaway
Survey data shows that Chinese citizens are remarkably pragmatic and non-ideological about international relations. They don't necessarily buy into the 'Global South' rhetoric favored by the state, preferring instead a worldview based on practical outcomes.
From the abstract
Prevailing debates on global order frequently posit a structural contest between a Western-led core and a rising Global South. China occupies a uniquely ambiguous position in this narrative, championing the Global South in rhetoric and practice while remaining deeply integrated into Western-led economic and institutional systems. This paper addresses a critical gap by investigating how ordinary Chinese citizens-not the state-perceive this geopolitical landscape. Drawing on an original survey in