Optimistic Country

China is the most optimistic country in the world, with 91.4 percent of its citizens saying they believe their country will become a better place in the next decade, according to a report released on November 12.

The report, Priorities of

Progress: Understanding Citizens’ Voices, released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on November 12, was based on a global survey of 50 countries to examine how citizens feel about their country’s progress.

The study indicated a more general positive outlook in the emerging markets of Asia and Africa than Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, primarily made up of developed countries. Besides

China, more than 70 percent of respondents in Indonesia and Viet Nam said they think their country is moving toward a better society; while the number in the United States was only 38 percent, with Germany and Italy even lower at 12 percent.

The report also showed that developing countries are increasingly embracing science and technology for a better future. India and China have a strong science and technology ecosystem in areas like artificial intelligence and digitization, while leapfrog innovation is helping people across Africa overcome infrastructure constraints.

The percentage of respondents