Source: China Daily. Tian Chi, Zhang Chengliang, Yang Liu/China Daily

Nearly 80 percent of young US respondents are interested in Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country and about 70 percent applaud contributions made by China to world peace and stability, according to a survey published by China Daily on Sunday.

The survey, conducted by China Daily Website and the Public Relations and Public Opinion Institute of the Communication University of China over the past month, covered 2,176 participants aged between 18 and 28 from China and the US, with most respondents having a college degree or above.

"Young people represent the future and their views will be a valuable reference for the two countries' governments to improve ties, which is why the survey targeted young people," said Liu Peng, a lecturer and operator who handled the project on behalf of the Communication University of China.

"We wanted to know what young people, including freshmen in universities and those just entering the workforce, think about in the hope of contributing to both governments' understanding," added Liu.

About 55 percent of US respondents and 49 percent of their Chinese counterparts regard Sino-US ties as the most important bilateral relations for their country, according to the survey.

"This result is not at all surprising as the US and China are two dominant players on the world stage," said Harvey Dzodin, former director and vice-president of ABC Television in New York.

On the future of Sino-US relations, 44.3 percent of US interviewees predict the ties will be positive while only 15.7 percent see a negative future. The number of Chinese optimists is more than double the number of pessimists. A total of 51.3 percent of Chinese think bilateral ties will hold steady.

According to Hu Angang, director of the Center for China Studies and professor at Tsinghua University, the positive data demonstrates the real perception of the younger generations of both countries. "The future of China-US relations is not only steered by current leaders but also by future generations," said Hu.

The study revealed that 82.3 percent of young respondents in the US appreciate the Chinese, saying they have good impression of Chinese people and 81.3 percent said China will have a bright future.

More than 78 percent of US respondents support the mutual benefits generated by trade between the two countries, the survey said, adding that most have an optimistic view of Xi's visit and future developments between the two nations.