OCTOBER 23, 2000 VOL. 156 NO. 16

By the Numbers
Who knew? Chinese kids love France, social stability and Einstein. A snapshot of the under-30 generation

For one week in September, TIME posed a series of questions to young people on Sina.com, China's most popular Internet portal. Almost 5,000 Chinese responded, most between the ages of 18 and 30. (Sina's typical viewership is 80% male.) Their answers, while unscientific, provide a fascinating glimpse of how Chinese youth are now living—and dreaming:

1. How well did your school prepare you for the new China?
3% Very well
11% Well
59% Moderately well
27% Poorly

2. What is most important in life?
37% Family
20% Money
17% Friendship
16% Education
10% Love

3. What is the best thing about living in China?
13% Social Stability
9% Food
9% Friendship
37% Other
32% Nothing

4. How worried are you about the state of China's environment?
83% Extremely
12% Moderately
5% Not very

5. Which is your least favorite country?
65% Japan
15% U.S.
14% India
4% Russia
2% Other

6. Which is your favorite foreign country?
28% France
25% U.S.
12% Germany
5% Switzerland
5% Singapore
5% England
4% Japan
4% Canada
12% Other

7. Which Chinese person do you most admire?
35% Zhou Enlai
16% Mao Zedong
13% Deng Xiaoping
16% No one

8. Who is your favorite foreigner?
14% Albert Einstein
8% Abraham Lincoln
8% Bill Gates
7% Napoleon Bonaparte
33% No one

9. What is the most important thing about any particular job?
57% Possibilities for advancement
23% Interesting
13% Salary
4% Job security
3% Power

10. At what age did you first have sex?
34% Over 22
17% 19-21
5% 16-18
1% 15 and below
43% Not yet

11. Number of sexual partners?
46% 0
45% 1-3
6% 4-10
3% 10 or more

12. Are you always faithful to your sexual partner?
77% Yes
23% No

13. How many nights do you go out each month?
48% 0
20% 1
25% 2-4
7% 5 or more

14. Do you live with your parents?
51% No
49% Yes

15. How many hours do you spend on the Internet each week?
52% More than 10
30% 5-10
16% 1-4
2% Less than 1

Write to TIME at mail@web.timeasia.com

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Young China: The Face of the Future
The generation that has grown up since the Cultural Revolution is a country- within- a- country, one that faces new possibilities, new fears—and a wide world that it will surely change

Big Numbers: The statistics that define a nation

Then and Now: A catalog of hip through the generations

Speaking Out: In an online poll, kids tell us what they like

Our Contibutors to this special issue

To Our Readers: A letter from the Editor