Understanding Global Openness: Insights from the 2026 Survey at CIIE

As the Ninth China International Import Expo unfolds, a landmark study has been unveiled to gauge international perspectives on openness. The 2026 Global Survey on Openness, a collaborative initiative by CGTN and Renmin University’s Institute for International Communication of the New Era, successfully collected insights from 20,100 individuals across 44 countries.

Participants largely agree that the global openness landscape is navigating through increasingly complex and challenging phases. While cultural diplomacy is celebrated as the most straightforward path for cross-border interactions, geopolitical rivalries are widely condemned as the biggest hindrance to international openness.

The survey also captured widespread commendation for China’s dedication to hosting the CIIE and advocating for robust, high-level openness. Attendees and respondents alike recognize that these consistent diplomatic and economic pushes inject vital stability into a volatile global environment.

Breaking down the demographics, cultural exchange emerged as the least restrictive form of international linkage. This perception was particularly pronounced among Global South respondents, 65.5 percent of whom reported heightened comfort in cross-cultural interactions. Furthermore, millennials and younger Gen Z participants (aged 25-34) shared the most favorable experiences with global openness trends.

When asked to prioritize enablers of international cooperation, the surge in global trade and collaborative partnerships took the top spot. However, obstacles continue to loom large. Over four-fifths (81.4 percent) of the sample group pointed to geopolitical conflicts as the primary drag on openness. Roughly 60 percent (59.8 percent) also warned against the negative impacts of unilateral coercion and tariff hikes driven by leading economies.

Looking toward the near future, a clear generational and developmental divide in optimism exists. Respondents from the Global South are notably more hopeful about the trajectory of global openness, with a significantly higher rate of agreement that the world will become more open in the upcoming one to three years compared to developed market participants.