Perceiving China Across Continents: Comparative Attitudes in Indonesia and Hungary toward China’s Global Role

Indonesia and Hungary are influential in their respective regions— Indonesia in Southeast Asia and Hungary within the Visegrad Group. Both maintain close relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and have signed onto the Belt and Road Initiative, making Chinese presence increasingly visible. Yet, little research examines how local citizens perceive this presence. This paper compares perceptions of Indonesian and Hungarian university students regarding China’s role. Building on Xi and Primiano’s analysis on China’s influence in Asia using secondary data, this study surveyed students in both countries that considers historical, political, and social factors. Findings show Indonesians feel closer to China, while Hungarians lean toward the United States. However, generally, both Indonesians and Hungarians acknowledge China’s developmental contributions positively.