File photo taken on Sept 8, 2014 shows Prince William (R), Duke of Cambridge, speaking with school students as he arrives to formally inaugurate the Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre Building in Oxford, Britain. (Photo: Xinhua/Han Yan)
(ECNS) -- As Chinese President Xi Jinping carries out a state visit to the UK, 73.4 percent of Chinese people polled in a new survey hold a positive view towards future ties between the two countries.[Special coverage]
The survey, conducted by China Youth Daily, covered 3,012 participants, 45.8 percent of whom are post-80s, with 26.4 percent post-90s and 19.3 percent post-70s. Most of the participants, at 77.6 percent, had been to the UK.
Mainstream media and domestic websites are the main channels for Chinese to learn about Britain, followed by UK dramas, movies and English classes, according to the survey.
"Gentle" is a common Chinese impression of British people, according to 78.7 percent of respondents. Yuan, a senior college student who is fond of UK dramas, said British people are good examples of gentlemen and ladies.
British people were praised by 33.3 percent of respondents for their humor, while 28 percent considered them conservative.
Other labels such as "self-disciplined" and "friendly" were used by more than one fifth of respondents, while more than ten percent agreed that British people are "aloof" and "reserved."
Song Yue, who studied journalism in the UK, was impressed by the rigorous education there. He described British with two words, "mild" and "wild."
Altogether 64.7 percent of respondents chose British Royalty to represent Britain, while 42.6 chose the Industrial Revolution, followed by the Renaissance, British soccer and British humor.
For Chinese people, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and superstar David Beckham are on the top list of British celebrities, followed by Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Margaret Thatcher, Audrey Hepburn, Isaac Newton, David Cameron and Princess Kate.
