On May 22, the "Better Life Night" gala, the data release event for the 2025-2026 "Better Life Survey," was successfully held in Beijing. Centered on the theme "A Public Perception Report on China's Economy," the event released the survey's two-decade core data findings and the latest 2026 report, focusing on dimensions such as confidence, willingness, perception, and evaluation. It provided an in-depth analysis of the public's most genuine economic experiences, offering a panoramic view of the dynamic interplay between China's high-quality economic development and the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.
The public's "perceived temperature" of the economy serves as the most vivid barometer and sensitive thermometer. It is reflected in expectations for income growth, preferences in consumption choices, and details of happiness and urban life, representing the most down-to-earth and convincing comprehensive feedback on economic development quality and improvements in people's livelihoods. The gala, based on two decades of big data on people's livelihoods, precisely captured and interpreted this unique public perception report, using data to illustrate the underlying drivers of China's economy.
Several key projects and findings were released at the event, providing authoritative data support for understanding public economic perception. Data on urban governance and services revealed that the top five areas of public satisfaction were public security (63.35%), city image (61.14%), parks/green spaces (60.49%), public cultural services (54.94%), and water/air quality (53.01%). "Safe China" not only safeguards the lives of its citizens but has also become a compelling attraction for international tourists. Access to green spaces and rich cultural activities further enhance the public's sense of fulfillment.
Representatives from cities that have left a profound mark on national memory, including Chengdu, Harbin, Hefei, Xi'an, Altay, Changzhou, Dongguan, Tianshui, Yiwu, and Rongjiang, showcased the unique charm and distinctiveness of each city through their individual presentations.
The "Better Life Restart" series of activities was officially launched. Collaborations include a joint report with Peking University's National School of Development titled "The Good Life of the Chinese People: Trends, Confidence, and Choices," a 2026 report with China Media Group Research Institute on "Characteristics and Trends of Chinese Residents' Consumption," and a commemorative stamp fold co-produced with China Post Group Corporation to mark the 20th anniversary of the "Better Life Survey."
Rising income confidence indicates a warming in the public's perceived economic temperature. Key data for 2025-2026 highlighted that 53.73% of respondents anticipate steady income growth, the highest level in six years, with rural residents' income confidence exceeding that of urban residents for the 13th consecutive year. Willingness to invest in wealth management rose to 74.84%, with gold maintaining its position as the top investment preference for ten consecutive years. This shift in public attitude towards investing reflects genuine confidence in economic prospects and personal financial security.
Consumption serves as the most direct indicator of public economic perception. Changes in consumption choices reveal trends in the pursuit of life quality and personalization. Survey data shows that service-oriented consumption, such as tourism (36.41%) and healthcare/wellness (32.47%), remains at the forefront. Emotional consumption has emerged as a new growth driver, with "heart value" surpassing "price-performance ratio," reflecting an upgrade in consumption logic from stockpiling goods to seeking experiences and from material to spiritual fulfillment.
Over two decades, public understanding and perception of happiness have continuously deepened. Shifts in the concept of happiness were a central highlight of the gala, outlining the warm foundation of the "Better Life Survey." Data indicates that 47.67% of the public perceive themselves as happy, an increase of nearly 5 percentage points from the previous year, while 35.85% report a stable and moderate life state. Young people aged 18-25 report the highest happiness levels across all age groups. Health (57.18%) has replaced income as the primary factor influencing happiness, and the importance of family relationships has increased by nearly 9 percentage points over eight years. The evolution from "income supremacy" to a foundation of health, core family values, and emotional well-being, and from "pursuing wealth" to "seeking inner happiness," demonstrates that public perception of happiness has become more diverse, rich, and grounded. This confirms that the ultimate goal of economic development is to deliver tangible happiness to the people.
As the world's longest-running and largest survey on public livelihood perceptions, the "Better Life Survey" began in 2006 with a 4-gram postcard. Over twenty years of dedicated effort, it has reached 2 million Chinese households, collecting tens of millions of data points on people's livelihoods, creating a vivid digital panorama of societal life. The survey's data is not only permanently archived in the National Library of China as a valuable national record but has also been presented at the United Nations, serving as a crucial window for the world to observe China's social and economic development.
The "Better Life Night" gala featured diverse program formats to vividly interpret the public's perceived economic temperature, making abstract perceptions tangible and people's livelihood stories relatable. A situational narrative, "20 Years of Touching the Public's Voice," showcased the survey's two-decade journey and its accurate predictions. A creative talk show, "Mr. Confused's New Discoveries," humorously depicted changes in consumption scenarios over time.
Personal stories, such as those of postal worker Nima Lamu and the Shen Jin family, provided individual perspectives witnessing social development, family changes, and progress of the era. Several economists and authoritative scholars offered in-depth interpretations of the economic logic behind the public perception data from macroeconomic, positive psychology, and urban governance perspectives.