The Effect of Political Ideology on Chinese College Students' Attitudes towards Foreign and Domestic Affairs

This study investigates the distribution of political ideologies among Chinese college students, and the relationship between political ideologies and students' attitudes towards foreign and domestic affairs. Findings have shown that the distribution of Chinese college students in four ideological groups—nationalist, liberal nationalist, liberalist, and non-liberalist and non-nationalist—is fairly even. Chinese college students across the political spectrum show strong support for China's development in the South China Sea. Liberal Chinese students and the politically apathetic ones adopt a less belligerent attitude towards foreign affairs than their nationalist and liberal nationalist counterparts. In terms of domestic affairs, Chinese college students in general, and Chinese nationalists and liberal nationalists in particular, are satisfied with government performance except for the anti-corruption campaign.