Being
Chinese
in Australia
Public opinion in Chinese communities
Introduction
More than 1.4 million people of Chinese heritage live in Australia today. Their experiences are as diverse as their views. Many were born in Australia, with lineages that span generations of Australian history. Others have migrated more recently from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Chinese-Australian communities have flourished and contributed to many aspects of Australian life.
The Lowy Institute’s Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project conducted its third nationally representative poll of Chinese-Australians at the end of 2022. As in the two previous surveys, we explored three broad themes: how Chinese-Australians see Australia and their place in it; how they consume news and information; and how they view the wider world. The survey also compares the sentiments expressed by Chinese-Australians with those of the broader Australian population.
More about this survey and methodology.
For the purposes of reporting the results of the survey, all respondents are referred to as Chinese-Australians. The respondents were all Australian citizens, permanent residents or long-term visa holders who self-identified as having Chinese heritage. The authors note that some respondents did not identify as Chinese-Australian, but preferred to be considered Chinese, Australian or Australian-Chinese.