China is the most optimistic country in the world, with over 91.4 percent of its citizens believing their country is advancing towards a better society in the next decade, according to a report released by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on November 12.
The report was based on a global survey of 50 counties to examine how well societies are meeting the demands of the people, how citizens feel about their countries’ progress and how countries’ development matches citizens’ vision of society.
The survey showed that respondents in the emerging markets of Asia and Africa were more content with their countries’ governance compared with the people in the OECD region. More than 70 percent of respondents in China, Indonesia and Vietnam believe that their country is moving towards a better society, while the number in the US is 38 percent, and Germany and Italy 12 percent.
The report also indicated that developing countries are embracing science and technology for better development. India and China are strongly competitive in such areas as artificial intelligence and digitalization, and leapfrog innovation is helping Africans overcome infrastructure constraints.
Moreover, healthcare is found to be citizens’ priorities, followed by social protection, access to education, public order, transport infrastructure and the environment.