Research finds Beijing Olympics raised New Zealanders’ warmth to China
A research report co-funded by Colmar Brunton and the Asia New Zealand Foundation has found that the number of New Zealanders with favourable perceptions of China rose as a result of the widely reported 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This was only the third time that any Olympic Games had been hosted in Asia. Interviews conducted after the Beijing Games showed that 22% of New Zealanders (up from 17% before the Games took place) thought that New Zealanders felt warmer towards the people from China compared to 12 months ago. The Olympic Games were the single most common reason given for this change of attitude.
Colmar Brunton’s Beijing Olympics report also measured a notable positive shift in sentiment towards Asian peoples and cultures in general. China remains the country New Zealanders predominantly think about when they think about Asia.
“The positive impact of the Olympics on New Zealanders’ perceptions of Asia was significant enough to be told as a story in its own right. Hosting the Olympic Games was hugely important for China,” commented Andrew Butcher, Asia:NZ’s director of policy and research. “Not only have the Olympics positioned China well on the world stage, but they have also shaped how New Zealanders see Asia.”
New facts or perspectives contribute to changes in attitude. Attitudes and perceptions often have an important impact on our behaviour towards other people or countries. The report findings emphasise how favourable, supportive attitudes are earned through positive performance.
To regularly keep track of how New Zealanders’ perceptions of Asia evolve, the Asia New Zealand Foundation annually commissions Colmar Brunton to produce the Perceptions of Asia study, measuring New Zealanders’ attitudes towards, and perceptions of, Asia. Over the last 10 years, this programme of research has tracked the growth in New Zealanders’ greater contact with Asian peoples and the growing importance of Asia to New Zealand across many facets of our lives.
