FY 2025 China Country Opinion Survey Report ECR Business Intelligence Team | July 2025 Acknowledgements The China Country Opinion Survey is part of the Country Opinion Survey Program series of the World Bank Group. This report was prepared by the Business Intelligence (BI) team, led by José De Buerba (Senior External Affairs Officer) and Svetlana Markova (Senior External Affairs Officer). Yulia Danilina, Jessica Cameron, Sofya Gubaydullina, and Qi Xue oversaw the design, reporting, and analysis of the survey results. Irina Popova and Noreen Wambui provided data support. BI acknowledges the significant contribution from the China country team and the independent fielding consultant Lisha Tan. In particular, BI is grateful for the support from Jamile Ramadan (Senior Country Officer), Luoyi Zhou (External Affairs Associate), and Tianshu Chen (Senior Interpreter and Translator), who coordinated the survey- related activities from Beijing, China. Contents Objectives Methodology Overview Executive Summary Overall Views of the World Bank Group (WBG) The WBG’s Work on Development Priorities The WBG’s Instruments The WBG’s Operational Effectiveness, Engagement, and Collaboration Communication and Outreach Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology 3 Objectives This survey was designed to assist the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in China perceive the WBG. The survey explored the following questions: 1. Overall Views of the WBG: How familiar are stakeholders with the WBG? How much do they trust the WBG? What opinions do stakeholders have of the WBG regarding its effectiveness and relevance to development in China? Are these perceptions improving or declining? Do stakeholders feel that the WBG has changed for the better or the worse in the last two years? 2. The WBG’s Work on Development Priorities: What areas of development are perceived to be the most important? Has the WBG been helpful in helping to achieve the goals of its projects in these areas? How did these projects impact the people of China, and how could the WBG have been more helpful? 3. WBG Instruments: What do key stakeholders value the most regarding the WBG’s work in China? What opinion do key stakeholders have of WBG’s financial instruments and knowledge products? How are stakeholders using WBG knowledge work, and has it influenced government policy in China? 4. The WBG’s Operational Effectiveness, Engagement, and Collaboration: How is the WBG perceived as a development partner in China? How do respondents perceive its operational effectiveness? Are opinions improving or declining? How effective has the WBG been in facilitating the Government’s engagement with civil society? 5. Communications: What are the preferred communication channels, and do they differ between stakeholder groups? Do stakeholders recall any WBG messaging? What key topics do stakeholders recall? What information do stakeholders want from the WBG? 4 Methodology Overview Fielded in November 2024 – May 2025 Stakeholders in FY25 COS Sample ▪ 408 potential participants were asked to complete the survey Local Government Office or 36% ▪ Respondents completed the questionnaire online Staff ▪ List of names provided by the WBG country team and Government Institution 17% supplemented by the fielding consultant ▪ Data collection conducted by an independent fielding consultant Academia / Research Centers 11% 163 participants (40% response rate) Civil Society Organization 10% ▪ 38% from Beijing ▪ 73% have collaborated with the WBG within the past 3 years Private Sector 10% Compared to the FY22 Country Survey Results Media 8% ▪ 389 participants (60% response rate) ▪ 32% from Beijing Bilateral or Multilateral Agency 6% ▪ 77% collaborated with the WBG Other 2% Click here for details of the Respondent Sample and Methodology. What is your primary professional affiliation? (Select only 1 response) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=163) 5 Executive Summary 1. Overall Views of the WBG: 2. The WBG’s Work on Development Priorities: Although stakeholders in FY25 reported lower levels of familiarity Climate change, environment/natural resource management, with the WBG than in the FY22 Country Survey, their levels of trust in social protection, jobs, and education were indicated as the top the Bank have stayed comparatively strong, ranking just below that priorities for the WBG’s support in FY25. Respondents considered of government institutions. Perceptions of the WBG’s relevance to climate change a significantly greater priority in FY25, with the share the country’s priorities and effectiveness in helping China achieve selecting it rising from 24% to 36% — a 50% increase since FY22. development results have remained positive, with the Bank receiving When asked how helpful the WBG was in achieving project higher ratings for these indicators than the UN and IMF. goals, 96% said the Bank was helpful, with 74% of respondents Compared to other East Asia and Pacific countries and IBRD rating it as very helpful. countries surveyed in FY24, respondents in China viewed the WBG In their qualitative comments regarding how to make the WBG more as more effective, and they expressed higher levels of trust in the effective in China, respondents emphasized the importance of institution. advancing education and youth development, particularly in underdeveloped regions. They also advocated for increased 6.2 investment in climate change adaptation and water security and Familiarity with the WBG* 6.8 identified the digital transformation of agriculture as essential. Climate change 36% Trust the WBG to do what is right for 8.5 China Environment / natural resource management 27% 8.1 Social protection 25% Effectiveness in helping China 8.1 Jobs 24% achieve development results 8.0 Education 24% Urban development 20% Relevant role in China's 7.7 FY25 Skills development 19% development* 7.7 FY22 Health 19% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Youth development 18% Mean Rating Water / sanitation 18% 6 Executive Summary (continued) Additionally, respondents highlighted the need to strengthen social 4. WBG Instruments: security systems, employment, and human capital through integrated Stakeholders considered the WBG’s advisory services to be its social protection programs and capacity building. greatest value to China. They had the highest levels of agreement that the WBG’s financial instruments meet China’s needs and 3. WBG’s Operational Effectiveness: that the WBG provides financial support in a timely manner Over the past two years, WBG clients and partners identified the most (mean=7.4, still positive, but declined significantly since FY22). significant reform-related improvements in the technical quality of When asked about their use of the WBG’s knowledge work, WBG-supported projects and the speed of project approvals, with respondents most often reported using the WBG’s research both areas receiving positive ratings from over 70% of respondents. and analytical reports (53%), and only 14% of respondents said Additionally, 65% noted that the WBG had become significantly or that they had not used the WBG’s knowledge work. Moreover, 69% somewhat better at partnering with others to increase development of respondents said that WBG policy advice had influenced finance, while 61% saw progress in how the WBG collaborates across government policy in China, including the development of new its institutions. Although perceptions of the ease of working with the environmental regulations, advancements in energy and energy WBG were more moderate, they remained positive overall, with 58% storage, and progress in private sector development, among others. of clients reporting improvements. In written comments, respondents highlighted the importance of the The WBG’s financial instruments meet 7.7 WBG aligning its work more closely with China’s specific development the needs of China 7.7 context, emphasizing that global solutions should be adapted rather than applied uniformly. Stakeholders also called for more thoughtful The WBG provides financial support in 7.4 project design and planning, advocating for a balanced portfolio in a timely manner* 8.5 terms of quantity, quality, and strategic relevance. Concerns were raised about bureaucratic delays, with respondents urging the WBG to The standards and requirements for 7.3 FY25 enhance efficiency through faster project approvals and more agile the WBG’s financing are reasonable 7.8 FY22 responsiveness to client needs. Additionally, the WBG was encouraged to foster innovative and replicable solutions by co- The conditions of the WBG’s financing 6.9 are competitive compared to markets developing projects with Chinese counterparts within established national frameworks. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating 7 Executive Summary (continued) Respondents called on the WBG to enhance its policy influence by Respondents felt the WBG was rather effective at facilitating civil offering innovative, context-specific advice, expand capacity building society participation in policy dialogue and implementation in and technical assistance in key public sectors, and intensify the China (mean=7.3); however, civil society respondents themselves dissemination of global knowledge and best practices to support tended to be more critical (mean=6.8). They recommended creating cross-country learning. an efficient dialogue with civil society through a platform, sharing consultation documents in advance, building civil society capacity, 5. The WBG’s Engagement and Collaboration: enabling civil society leaders to join global policy discussions, and In FY25, stakeholders had significantly more positive views of the freely sharing project outcomes with NGOs. WBG as a long-term development partner to China, and Most stakeholders (72%) identified a lack of access to finance as perceptions of staff accessibility and responsiveness were also very the main challenge to private sector development in the country. To positive. The WBG received high ratings for the effectiveness of its strengthen the WBG’s impact on development of the private sector, partnerships with the national government and local governments respondents underscored the value of offering forward-looking (means=8.5 and 8.4, respectively), and perceptions of the WBG’s policy advice, promoting two-way knowledge exchange to support collaboration with the private sector have improved (mean=7.7). In business modernization, and developing scalable, demonstrable addition to its partnership with the national government, respondents pilot projects. would like the WBG to increase collaboration with local governments (57%) and academia/research centers (33%). 6. Communications: Over two-thirds of all respondents (72%) reported recently Being a long-term partner to 8.7 China* 8.2 seeing or hearing about the WBG, and 49% of them reported hearing about the WBG’s economic forecasts. Stakeholders 8.6 reported that they prefer to obtain communication from the WBG at Access to WBG staff and experts 8.3 the events, via direct contact with staff, or via the WBG website. Respondents identified case studies of WBG projects, impact 8.1 FY25 assessments, and evaluations as the most helpful materials for Responsiveness to needs in China 7.8 FY22 deepening their understanding of the Bank’s role in China. The 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 private sector stakeholders expressed strong interest in information Mean Rating regarding WBG’s financial products and services. 8 Overall Views of the World Bank Group 9 Familiarity with the WBG has Decreased since FY22, Highest Among Bilateral/Multilateral Agencies and Media All Respondents* 6.2 Comparison of FY22 and FY25 Bilateral/Multilateral 8.1 Mean familiarity: FY25 = 6.2* FY22 = 6.8 Media 7.8 Collaboration with the WBG Government Institution 6.5 Mean familiarity: Collaborate with WBG = 6.9* Academia 6.5 Do not collaborate = 4.2 Stakeholder groups Civil Society 6.2 Respondents from bilateral/multilateral agencies and the media were most familiar with the WBG, whereas local Private Sector 6.0 government respondents were significantly less familiar. Local Government 5.4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Familiarity Q How familiar are you with the World Bank Group’s work in China? Scale: 1 Not familiar at all – 10 Very familiar 10 *Denotes significant difference between groups WBG is Highly Trusted; Central government 9.2 Consistently High Trust in 9.0 9.0 the Central Government Provincial government Among Stakeholders County government 8.6 8.5 Across FY22 and FY25, respondents have World Bank Group* 8.1 expressed high trust in the Central government and increased trust in the World Bank Group. Regional development banks (AIIB, 8.2 EXIM Bank of China, China 7.1 Since the last survey effort in FY22, stakeholders Development Bank, NDB)* FY25 have reported significantly higher levels of trust in United Nations agencies (WHO, 8.1 FY22 all institutions and groups. UNICEF, UNDP, etc.)* 7.2 8.0 International Monetary Fund* 7.4 7.8 Academia / research centers 7.0 Private sector* 6.2 6.8 Civil society* 5.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How much do you trust each of the following institutions to do what is right for China? Q Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much Mean Rating of Trust *Denotes significant difference between years 11 Perceptions of WBG Relevance and Effectiveness are Consistently High RELEVANCE to China’s development EFFECTIVENESS in achieving development results Regional development banks 7.8 8.1 (AIIB, EXIM Bank of China, China World Bank Group Development Bank, NDB) 8.0 7.7 Regional development banks 7.9 World Bank Group (AIIB, EXIM Bank of China, China 7.7 Development Bank, NDB) FY25 FY25 7.5 FY22 FY22 United Nations agencies (WHO, 7.7 UNICEF, UNDP, etc.) International Monetary Fund 7.3 United Nations agencies (WHO, 7.6 International Monetary Fund UNICEF, UNDP, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Relevance Mean Rating of Effectiveness How relevant is each of the following organizations to China’s development? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much Q How effective is each of the following organizations in helping China achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much 12 Stakeholders from Media, Government Institutions, and Local Government had More Positive Perceptions of the WBG 8.5 8.1 Respondents from bilateral and Effectiveness in helping 7.3 multilateral agencies, as well as China achieve development 7.3 those from civil society, rated the results 8.1 Government WBG’s relevance and effectiveness 7.8 Institution slightly lower than other groups; 9.0 Local Government however, this difference was not statistically significant. 8.3 Bilateral/Multilateral 8.9 7.8 Civil Society Trust the WBG to do what is 7.9 right for China 7.9 Private Sector 8.8 8.8 Academia 7.9 Media 7.5 7.2 Relevant role in China's 7.1 development 8.1 7.9 8.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q For question wording and scales, please see previous slides. Mean Rating 13 Trust and Effectiveness Ratings in China are Higher than in Other EAP and IBRD Countries 8.5 Trust the WBG to do what is right 7.8 China 7.4 FY25 8.1 Effectiveness in helping achieve EAP Countries 7.5 FY24 development results 7.2 IBRD Countries 7.7 FY24 Relevant role in development 7.8 7.1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating East Asia and Pacific (EAP) FY24 countries included: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Viet Nam. Q IBRD FY24 countries included: Brazil, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Georgia, Kuwait, 14 Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Paraguay, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vietnam. More than 65% of Stakeholders Said the Bank Was Significantly Better or Better at Improving People’s Lives and the Business Environment in China in the Past Two Years Based on your experience, in the past two years, how has the WBG changed in terms of… Its work to improve people’s lives in China 21% 47% 6% 4% 20% Perceived WBG Improvement Its work to improve the overall business environment in 16% 49% 9% 1% 24% China Significantly Better Somewhat Better Stayed the Same Somewhat Worse Significantly Worse Don’t know Q Based on your experience, in the past two years, how has the WBG changed in terms of…(Percentage of Respondents, N=~160) 15 Over 70% of WBG Clients/Partners Saw Improvement in Technical Quality and Speed of Project Approval Based on your experience, in the past two years, how has the WBG changed in terms of… Improving the technical quality of WBG-supported 25% 48% 10% 6% 10% projects in China Perceived WBG Improvement The speed of WBG project approval 23% 48% 6% 4% 18% Partnering with others to increase development finance 20% 45% 9% 5% 20% Working across its institutions as one World Bank 20% 41% 7% 3% 28% Group Being easy to work with 21% 37% 9% 6% 26% Significantly Better Somewhat Better Stayed the Same Somewhat Worse Significantly Worse Don’t know Based on your experience, in the past two years, how has the WBG changed in terms of… (Asked only to respondents in Government Institutions, Q Bilateral/Multilateral Agencies, and those who indicated that they have collaborated with the WBG in the past 3 years. Percentage of Respondents, N=~140) 16 The WBG’s Work on Development Priorities 17 Development Areas Climate change Environment / natural resource management 27% 36% for WBG Focus Social protection 25% Jobs 24% This year, climate change emerged as a significantly Education 24% higher priority for respondents (36%), marking a notable Urban development 20% shift from FY22, when agriculture and rural Skills development 19% development were the top priorities (47%). In addition, many respondents highlighted environmental Health 19% concerns as highly important. Youth development 18% Water / sanitation 18% When asked how the WBG can be more effective in China^, Private sector development More of a priority among 17% the Private Sector (41%) respondents emphasized the need for alignment with China’s long- term development goals and local institutional realities. Digital infrastructure development 17% ▪ Respondents highlighted key areas such as education, youth Financial markets development 16% development, and meeting the educational needs of Agriculture / food security 16% underdeveloped regions; Macroeconomic stability 15% ▪ They supported investment in climate change adaptation and Energy 14% water security; ▪ Digital transformation of agriculture is seen as essential; Social inclusion 13% ▪ They called for sharing global lessons in health service Public sector governance 13% provision, including balancing the roles of the public and private Transport infrastructure 12% sectors; Debt management 11% ▪ They mentioned the need for strengthen social security systems, employment, and human capital through integrated Gender equity 10% social protection programs. Disaster risk management 10% Trade 4% Which areas should the WBG prioritize to have the most impact on development results in China? (Select up to 5) (Percentage of Respondents, N=135) 18 Q ^What is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in these priority areas in China? (N=48) The full text of the qualitative comments can be found in the “China COS FY25 Appendices.xlsx” file. More Than Half of All WBG Clients Indicated That They Were Most Familiar With a Project Involving Climate Change Clients reported that they were most familiar Climate change / environmental 55% sustainability with WBG’s projects in the area of climate change/environmental sustainability, Agriculture / food security 34% followed by agriculture/food security, water/sanitation, and education. Water / sanitation 28% Other areas, such as poverty and equity, Education 24% health, and social protection, were noted by a smaller but still significant share, while Poverty and equity 18% transport, macroeconomics, and trade, digital Top Three infrastructure, private sector development, and Health 18% Development Areas for the urban resilience each received mentions from WBG’s Focus around one in seven respondents. Social protection 17% Transport 16% Macroeconomics, trade and 16% investment Digital infrastructure and services 14% Private sector development 14% An Excel spreadsheet will be provided with full details of knowledge products identified by respondents and their Urban, resilience and land 14% responses to all knowledge related qualitative questions. Please think about a specific WBG-supported project or initiative that you are most familiar with. Please select the development area that this WBG-supported 19 Q project or initiative supported. (Select all that apply) (Asked only of those who said that they collaborate with the WBG, Percentage of Respondents, N=118) The Majority of WBG Clients Believe WBG was Very Helpful in Achieving Project Goals How helpful was the WBG in achieving 74% 22% Mean = 8.5 the goals of this project or initiative? Very Helpful (8-10) Somewhat Helpful (5-7) Not That Helpful (1-4) In Open-Ended Comments, Clients Discussed the Impact the WBG-Supported Project Had on the People of China “It accelerated energy saving and environmental protection efforts in some “In the barren Lanzhou New District, a vocational education city was parts of China across multiple fields and social levels, benefiting more established, expanding vocational school enrollment and improving training people.” (Local government respondent discussing China Energy Efficiency Market quality. Tens of thousands of children from poor farming families learned Mechanism Project) skills and secured decent employment.” (Civil Society Respondent discussing Gansu Vocational Education Development Project) “As a media professional and judge in the global poverty reduction case collection activity, I found the related cases very impressive. The supported “This World Bank loan project [...] benefited residents in the Yangtze River local cooperatives and industrial chains developed steadily, providing local Delta with cleaner drinking water [...] and provided a practical model for multi- people with a path to increase income through industrial assistance.” (Media stakeholder watershed governance.” (Local government Respondent discussing Sector Respondent discussing Poverty Alleviation in Guangxi and Shaanxi) Zhejiang Qiandao Lake and Xin'an River Basin Water Resources & Ecological Environment Protection Project) Asked only of those who said that they collaborate with the WBG, Percentage of Respondents, N=107 Q How helpful was the WBG in achieving the goals of this project or initiative? Scale: 1 Not helpful at all – 10 Very helpful [If helpful rating > 4] How did this WBG-supported project or initiative impact the people of China? (Please be specific) (N=60) 20 The WBG’s Instruments 21 Advisory Services Considered the WBG’s Greatest Value to China Of note, financial resources were significantly more valuable for the private sector and civil Advisory services 54% society (71%), while data and research were for respondents from bilateral/multilateral agencies (67%), media (64%), and academia (59%). Financial resources 45% Data and research 40% Convening power 36% 22 Q Which WBG instruments do you VALUE the most in China? (Select up to 2) (Percentage of Respondents, N=139) Positive Views on WBG Financial Instruments, but Decline in Perceptions of Timeliness 7.7 Stakeholder perceptions of the WBG The WBG’s financial instruments (i.e., loans, grants, trust funds) meet the needs of China differ markedly: respondents from bilateral 7.7 and multilateral agencies reported the lowest average ratings, whereas those from the private sector, government institutions, 7.4 and media offered significantly higher The WBG provides financial support in a ratings across this set of questions. timely manner* 8.5 When asked how the WBG can be more effective in China^, some respondents emphasized the need to: FY25 7.3 The standards and requirements for the • Prioritize sustainable financing and pilot projects in areas FY22 WBG’s financing are reasonable such as water security and climate change; 7.8 • Participate in infrastructure construction projects through investment and knowledge exchange; • Invest in education and technology to expand Chinese The conditions of the WBG’s financing are 6.9 knowledge and enrich culture and habits; competitive compared to markets (private sector or other development banks) • Provide necessary grants and financial support where needed. *Denotes significant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 difference between years Mean Rating To what extent do you agree with the following statements about the WBG’s financial support to China? Q Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree (Asked only to those in government institutions or who said that 23 they collaborate with the WBG, N=~120) 86% of Respondents Used WBG Knowledge Work in the Past 3 Years — Primarily Research, Analytical Reports, and Events Different stakeholder groups used different types Research and analytical reports 53% of WBG knowledge work: Workshops or training courses ▪ Advisory services were most frequently (in-person or online) 42% recalled by respondents from the private sector (62%), governments institutions (40%), Advisory services 27% and local government (37%). ▪ Research and analytical reports were Data resources 25% primarily used by media (83%), the academic respondents (71%), bilateral and multilateral agencies (67%), and private sector Policy notes 17% respondents (54%). Online collaboration platforms 7% Other 1% I have not used WBG 14% An Excel spreadsheet will be provided with full details of knowledge work knowledge products identified by respondents and their responses to all knowledge related qualitative questions. 24 Q In the past 3 years, what WBG knowledge work have you used? (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respondents, N=139) As a Reliable Information Source, Stakeholders Used WBG Knowledge Work for a Variety of Purposes For what purpose did you use this WBG knowledge work? Research, Learning, and Knowledge Sharing Respondents most frequently used WBG knowledge work for understanding global development issues, conducting research, and improving their personal or organizational knowledge base. ▪ Academic and applied research activities ▪ Global development knowledge acquisition ▪ Individual and professional skill development Project implementation and policy application ▪ Project implementation and operational guidance ▪ Policy formulation and system improvement ▪ Financial instruments and procurement understanding Sustainable development and communication ▪ Sustainable development and climate alignment ▪ Strategic communication and media engagement Q For what purpose did you use this WBG knowledge activity/analytical work? (Please be specific) (N=55) 25 69% of Respondents Report WBG Policy Advice Shaped Government Policy and Influenced Key Development Areas Climate Change / Environmental Sustainability Social Protection ▪ “Green finance and sustainable development. The World Bank Group has ▪ “Call on the central government to increase fiscal spending to support promoted society, enterprises, governments and others to have a more vulnerable groups in society, step up efforts to build a social security realistic understanding of the significance of green sustainability through system to cover more migrant workers and the floating population, and publicity, consulting projects and financial projects. For example, the promote household registration reform.” cooperation with Qingdao Bank and Junchuang Leasing has encouraged (Media Respondent) partners to invest more resources and expand actions in these areas.” (Private Sector Respondent) ▪ “Policies to ensure the rigid pension needs of disabled elderly people first; policies to carry out capacity assessment of the elderly. Influence in the ▪ “Ozone Depleting Substances Quota Management Policy” form of research reports, policy consultation, etc.” (Local Government Respondent) (Government Institution Respondent) Private Sector Development Education ▪ “The World Bank project supports and serves rural small and ▪ “In vocational schools, we emphasize school-enterprise cooperation and medium-sized enterprises, and influences the country to introduce build competency-based courses. The Ministry of Education issued a policies to support new agricultural business entities.” document.” (Local Government Respondent) (Civil Society Respondent) ▪ “The assessment of the business environment has more or less influenced the local government's cognition, increased its level of Energy attention, and also facilitated the formulation of corresponding ▪ “New energy and energy storage policy” policies.” (Academia Respondent) (Media Respondent) In your opinion, has the WBG’s policy advice influenced a new or previous government policy in China? (Percentage of Responde nts, N=115) Q What government policy or action did the WBG’s advice influence and in what way? (N=36) Select comments corresponding to the top 4 development priorities for the WBG’s focus as identified by respondents are shown here. 26 Respondents Value WBG’s Knowledge Work, but See Room for Improved Dissemination WBG’s knowledge work makes 7.9 a significant contribution to In qualitative comments, respondents pointed out that the WBG could: development results 8.0 • Enhance policy influence through knowledge and innovation: Respondents emphasized the importance of the WBG continuing to offer forward-looking, independent, and depoliticized policy advice I am satisfied with the quality of 7.9 grounded in international best practices. They call for the the WBG’s knowledge work in introduction of advanced and innovative ideas, tailored to national China^ contexts, to guide government decision-making and promote efficient, effective reforms. • Expand capacity building and experience sharing: Stakeholders Working with the WBG 7.8 seek more training and technical assistance to improve public sector increases China’s institutional service delivery, especially in healthcare, agriculture, and education. capacity^ 8.5 They value opportunities to learn from global experiences and comparative lessons, particularly in the areas of health system reform, grassroots service delivery, and rural development. • Strengthen knowledge dissemination and cross-country 6.9 FY25 The WBG’s publications are learning: Respondents encourage the WBG to intensify its efforts to adequately disseminated*^ 7.7 FY22 share advanced knowledge, global best practices, and international experiences with China and other countries. *Denotes significant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 difference between years Mean Rating How significant a contribution do you believe the WBG’s knowledge work makes to development results in China? Scale: 1 Not significant at all – 10 Very significant Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree If you rated the quality of the WBG’s knowledge work between 1-4, how could the WBG improve the quality of its knowledge work in China? (Please be specific) (N=2) What is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in these priority areas in China? (Please be specific) (N=48) 27 ^Only asked to those who indicated that they had used WBG knowledge work in the past 3 years (N=~120) The WBG’s Operational Effectiveness, Engagement and Collaboration 28 WBG Viewed as a Reliable Partner, with Growing Recognition of Responsiveness Regarding WBG’s operational effectiveness, respondents 8.7 highlighted the following: ^ Being a long-term partner to China* • Contextual Adaptation and Local Relevance: Respondents 8.2 emphasized the need for WBG to better understand China’s development path and adapt global experiences to China’s unique national conditions, rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions. • Project Design and Planning: Stakeholders want WBG to ensure a balance in project numbers, quality, and coverage, and to 8.6 contribute to the formulation of long-term, strategic development Access to WBG staff and experts FY25 plans tailored to China’s evolving needs. 8.3 FY22 • Efficiency and Responsiveness: Calls were made for faster project approvals and better responsiveness to client needs, suggesting that bureaucratic delays may be hindering operational impact. • Collaborative Innovation within National Frameworks: WBG is 8.1 encouraged to co-develop innovative, demonstrable, and Responsiveness to needs in China replicable projects in collaboration with China while also working closely within the Chinese government's institutional framework. 7.8 *Denotes significant difference between years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in terms of the following? (N=~148) Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree Q ^ What is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in these priority areas in China? (Please be specific) 29 WBG Partnerships in China Viewed Positively; Collaboration with Private Sector and Civil Society Seen as Improving 8.5 National government Notably, respondents from both the private 8.4 sector and civil society gave relatively high ratings for the WBG’s collaboration with their 8.4 Local government respective groups, with average scores of 8.0 and 7.6, respectively. 8.0 Academia / research centers 7.7 Private sector* FY25 6.9 FY22 Other donors and development 7.7 partners 8.1 7.7 Parliament / legislative branch 7.8 7.5 *Denotes significant Civil society (e.g., NGOs, CBOs)* difference between years 6.8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in China, in terms of collaborating with Q the following groups? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree 30 Stakeholders Want the Bank to Collaborate More With Local Government and Academia Local government 57% Stakeholders want the WBG to strengthen collaboration with Academia / research centers 33% domestic actors, particularly local governments and academia to ensure that projects are grounded in local Regional development banks 23% realities and informed by local expertise. • Work directly with local governments to tailor interventions to community needs Private sector 21% • Partner with academic and research institutions to co- produce knowledge Civil society (e.g., NGOs, 20% CBOs) • Complement financial assistance with technical and institutional support, ensuring that collaboration leads not Parliament / legislative just to funding, but also to long-term capacity building and 9% branch policy impact Other donors and 8% development partners Bilateral organizations 7% Other 2% In addition to its partnership with the national government, which of the following should the WBG collaborate with more to have greater impact in China? (Select Q up to 2) (Percentage of Respondents, N=143) ^ What is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in these priority areas in China? (N=48) 31 The full text of the qualitative comments can be found in the “China COS FY25 Appendices.xlsx” file. WBG Effectiveness in Facilitating Civil Society Participation All Respondents 7.3 Some Examples of the WBG’s Effective Facilitation of Civil Society Participation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Effectiveness “World Bank supports innovative civil society projects through Small Grants Program and Development Marketplace Competition.” Respondents from bilateral / multilateral agencies gave (Government Institutions Respondent) the lowest ratings (mean = 5.4) for the WBG’s effectiveness at facilitating civil society participation in “The World Bank supported the development of distributed photovoltaic power generation in China through the China Renewable Energy Scale- development policy dialogue and implementation in China. up Project (CRESP) Phase I and Phase II. In this process, civil society Civil society respondents also gave a moderate rating organizations participated in the research and formed policy (mean=6.8). recommendations.” (Civil Society Respondent) “Establish a simple and efficient platform and dialogue mechanism, fully share consultation documents in “In the World Bank-financed Xin'an River project, the World Bank innovatively introduced the environmental NGO, The Nature Conservancy advance, support civil society capacity building, support (TNC), to provide very important support for TNC's pilot watershed co- civil society leaders to participate in global policy governance model in China.” dialogues, and share the results and experiences of some (Civil Society Respondent) projects with non-governmental organizations free of charge.” (Civil Society respondent) How effective is the WBG in facilitating civil society participation in development policy dialogue and implementation in China? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very Q effective [If effectiveness rating < 5] How could the WBG be more effective in facilitating civil society participation in development policy dialogue and implementation? (Please be specific) (N=9) [If effectiveness rating > 4] Please share examples of the WBG’s effective facilitation of civil s ociety participation in development policy 32 dialogue and implementation. (Please be specific) (N=94) The full text of the qualitative comments can be found in the “China COS FY25 Appendices.xlsx” file. The WBG Working With the Private Sector What are the biggest challenges facing private sector development in China? To Make the WBG More Effective in Private Sector Development, Respondents Discussed: Access to finance 72% • Strengthening collaboration with local and national government agencies to create an enabling environment Market size / demand 53% • Providing forward-looking policy advice to support market- oriented reforms • Facilitating two-way knowledge exchange and promoting Regulatory environment 50% advanced, global ideas that can help local businesses modernize and align with international standards • Supporting the development of demonstrative and replicable Skilled workforce availability 37% pilot projects Infrastructure gaps 13% Corruption 7% Political instability 1% What are the biggest challenges facing private sector development in China? (Select up to 3) (Percentage of Government & Private Sector Respondents, N=76) Q What is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in these priority areas in China? (Please be specific) (N=48) The full text of the qualitative comments can be found in the “China COS FY25 Appendices.xlsx” file. 33 Communication and Outreach 34 Outreach and Engagement Is Important Because Familiarity Leads to More Positive Perceptions 8.5 Greater engagement with the WBG not only meets stakeholder demand but also fosters Relevant to China's development* 7.7 more positive perceptions. Stakeholders 6.7 highly familiar with the WBG (ratings of 8–10) consistently rate its relevance and effectiveness higher than those with low 8.9 familiarity (ratings of 1–4). Trust the WBG to do what is right for 8.5 China 8.0 8.7 Effectiveness in helping China 7.9 achieve development results* 7.5 *Denotes significant difference between groups 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 Mean Rating High Familiarity (8-10) Some Familiarity (5-7) Low Familiarity (1-4) How familiar are you with the work of the WBG in China? How familiar are you with the World Bank Group’s work in China? Scale: 1 Not familiar at all – 10 Very familiar Q How much do you trust each of the following institutions to do what is right for China? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much How relevant is each of the following organizations to China’s development? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much How effective is each of the following organizations in helping China achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much 35 WBG Events, Direct Contact, and WBG Website are Stakeholders’ Top Choice for Receiving Information from the Institution Stakeholder preferences vary and should inform targeted outreach. For example, while most respondents prefer the WBG events, stakeholders from the private sector and the media prefer social media channels. Preferred WBG Channels Bilateral All Government Local Civil Private /Multilateral Academia Media Respondents Institutions Government Society Sector Agency WBG event / conference / workshop (in person 53% 74% 53% 44% 53% 38% 60% 33% or online) Direct contact with WBG staff (e.g., in person, 44% 42% 38% 44% 47% 54% 53% 42% virtually, phone, email) WBG website (including blogs) 44% 42% 47% 44% 47% 38% 47% 25% WBG social media channels (e.g., Facebook, 30% 21% 21% 33% 13% 54% 27% 67% LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X)* WBG e-Newsletters* 28% 16% 17% 44% 53% 23% 27% 50% WBG publications 21% 16% 17% 44% 27% 8% 27% 25% WBG direct messaging (e.g., WhatsApp) 19% 26% 23% 11% 13% 15% 7% 25% WBG podcasts 5% 0% 6% 0% 13% 15% 0% 0% Q How would you prefer to obtain information from the WBG? (Select up to 3) (Percentage of Respondents, N=213) * Denotes significant difference between years 36 72% the Respondents Recalled Seeing or Hearing About the WBG Recently, Most Often through WBG Events, Direct Contact, and the Media Event / conference / workshop (in 51% Although WBG e-newsletters were person or online) identified as a preferred communication channel by 28% of respondents, only 1% Direct contact with WBG staff 48% of respondents recalled receiving information through them recently. Media (television, radio, newspapers) 46% Respondents consistently selected their preferred and recalled information WBG website (including blogs) 36% sources, with WBG events, conferences, and workshops standing out as both preferred and recent Social media 28% engagement channels. WBG publications 11% Direct messaging (e.g., WhatsApp) 4% Other 3% e-Newsletter 1% Do you recall seeing or hearing anything about the WBG recently? (N=134) Q Where do you recall seeing or hearing this information? (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respondents, N=95) 37 To Better Understand the WBG’s Role in China, Stakeholders Wanted Information on Case Studies and the Results of Its Impact Assessments and Evaluations Preferred Information About the WBG All Government Local Bilateral/Mult Private Civil Society Academia Media Respondents Institution Government ilateral Sector Case studies of WBG projects 68.7% 78.9% 68.0% 44.4% 80.0% 53.8% 73.3% 66.7% Impact assessments and evaluations 38.1% 36.8% 36.0% 44.4% 40.0% 38.5% 26.7% 58.3% WBG research and knowledge 35.8% 42.1% 24.0% 55.6% 46.7% 23.1% 33.3% 66.7% Sector-specific strategies 31.3% 31.6% 32.0% 66.7% 33.3% 23.1% 33.3% 8.3% Overview of WBG financial products and services 22.4% 15.8% 22.0% 22.2% 26.7% 53.8% 6.7% 8.3% Regular updates on WBG activities 22.4% 15.8% 18.0% 22.2% 33.3% 23.1% 33.3% 25.0% Information on how to work / partner with WBG 15.7% 5.3% 12.0% 11.1% 26.7% 15.4% 26.7% 25.0% Other 1.5% 0.0% 2.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 6.7% 0.0% What information would be most helpful to you in understanding the WBG's role in China? (Select up to 3) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=214) *Significant difference between stakeholder groups 38 Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology 39 Sample Demographics Which of the following WBG agencies have you In the past 3 years, have worked or collaborated with in China? you worked or No (N=119) collaborated with the 27% WBG in China? World Bank (IBRD) 91% (N=163) International Finance 16% Corporation (IFC) Yes Multilateral Investment 73% Guarantee Agency 1% (MIGA) Which best represents your geographic location? (N=130) Prefer not to specify, 7% What is your gender? Beijing 38% (N=132) Chongqing, Xinjiang, Xizang, 29% Qinghai, Gansu, ^ Tianjin, Shanghai, Male 23% Female Guangdong, Fujian, ^^ 37% 56% Henan, Hunan, Hubei, 10% Anhui, Jiangxi, Liaoning, ^^^ ^ Also includes Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi; 40 ^^ Also includes Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei; ^^ Also includes Jilin and Heilongjiang. Sample Demographics (continued) Within your organization, What’s your age? would you describe yourself as… (N=132) (N=132) 25 years or younger 3% Junior level 23% 26-35 years 31% Mid-level staff 29% 36-45 years 37% Mid-level decision- 23% maker / manager 46-55 years 15% Senior level 10% 56 years and above 8% Prefer not to specify 16% Prefer not to specify 5% 41 Detailed Methodology Percentage of Respondents FY 2022 FY 2025 Government Principals: Office of the President, Prime Minister, Minister, 0% 0% Parliamentarian From November 2024 to May 2025, a total of 408 stakeholders in China were invited to provide their opinions on the WBG’s work by participating in a Country Opinion Survey Government Institutions: Employee of a Ministry, Department, Project Implementation (COS). A list of potential participants was compiled by the WBG country team and the Unit, Independent Government Institution, 29% 17% fielding consultant. Participants were drawn from government institutions, local Judiciary, State-Owned Enterprise government, bilateral or multilateral agencies, civil society organizations, the private Local Government 35% 36% sector, academia and research centers, and the media. Bilateral/Multilateral Agency: Embassy, Of these stakeholders, 163 participated in the survey (40% response rate). Development Organization, Development 2% 6% Respondents received the questionnaire link via email, WeChat, or in person and Bank, UN Agency completed it online. Civil Society Organization: Local and regional NGO, Community-Based This year’s survey results were compared to the FY22 Country Opinion Survey, Organization, Private Foundation, 4% 10% which had a response rate of 60% (N=389). Philanthropy, Professional/Trade Association, Faith-Based Group, Youth Group Comparing responses across Country Opinion Surveys reflects changes in attitudes over time, but also changes in respondent samples, changes in methodology, and changes to Private Sector: Private Company, Financial 8% 10% Sector Organization, Private Bank the survey instrument itself. To reduce the influence of the latter factor, only those questions with similar response scales/options were analyzed. However, the stakeholder Academia / Research Center 14% 11% compositions for both survey years should be taken into consideration when interpreting these comparisons. Significant differences among stakeholder groups are noted Media 4% 8% throughout the report where relevant. Other 4% 2% Key statistically significant findings (tested at the research standard of p < .05) are noted Total Number of Respondents 389 163 throughout the report with an asterisk. Q What is your primary professional affiliation? (Select only 1 response) 42 Detailed Methodology (continued) Breakdowns for individual questions by stakeholder group and by year can be found in the “China COS FY25 Appendices.xlsx” file published in the WBG Microdata Library, along with the survey microdata and this report. Please note that not all questions were asked of every respondent in FY25. Some questions – particularly those requiring more in-depth knowledge of WBG projects and operations – were only presented to a subset of stakeholders. Consequently, for year-over-year comparisons, some FY22 means shown in this report are based only on the subset of respondents who received the same questions in FY25, rather than the full FY22 sample. As a result, these means may differ from those published in the original FY22 report. Please refer to the questionnaire for details on question routing. The questionnaire is published in the WBG Microdata Library, along with the survey microdata, appendices, and this report. The open-ended comments to this survey were analyzed with ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, and reviewed by the World Bank staff for accuracy. 43 Thank you For more information about this report or the Country Opinion Survey program, please contact: countrysurveys@worldbankgroup.org