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extract was also from Shanghai Vice and showed theimpact of an earthquake on a local community. Eachvideo extract was followed by a group discussion. Therewere six groups involved in this exercise. The ethnicminority group was Chinese and we also showed thematerial to the group of 10 year-olds.Following each section of film shown, respondentswere asked questions. Few people within the groupsdoing this exercise had actually seen the programmes(although a small number of members of other groupshad).POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE RESPONSESThe 15 year-old group had no interest in the programmesand all claimed that they would not watch this type ofprogramme on television. Interestingly, the ten year-oldswere very interested in the section on drugs. They alsosaw China as a rich country because that was where theirtoys came from. But, overall the groups of young peoplehad little comprehension of China at any level. Havingbeen shown the film report on students rioting theycould not give any valid or clear explanations as to why itwas happening.Moderator: Does anybody remember that piece of filmfrom the TV news?1st: No.Moderator: What do you think they are doing? What arethey protesting about?2nd: Rights.Moderator: Where do you think that is taking place?3rd: China.2nd: They were wanting the British Emperor to get rid ofit because they were burning the flag.Moderator: They were burning the flag, right. What typeof people do you think that are?1st: Just people.Moderator: Do you think you would be concerned if youlived in that country with something like that going on?3rd: Yes.Moderator: Why?4th: Violence. (15 year-olds, Glasgow)In general this group had some quite general ideasabout what they thought China itself might be like.Although participants could offer descriptions, theirunderstanding of the country was limited. It was clearthough that the ideas and images they offered hadoriginated from the media:Moderator: What do you think when you think of China– what people in China are like or what’s China like?1st: Crowded.2nd: Not too many cars, they go about on wee bike things.3rd: Modern. Big crowded cities.4th: No freedom of speech. There is rioting and doesn’tseem as if they are listening. The people don’t seem to belistened to at all.2nd: You are controlled a lot by the government.Moderator: Those kind of images, where do you thinkyou would get them from?4th: News.3rd: And films. (15 year-olds, Glasgow)1st: When I think of China I think of Tiannamen square,of Hong Kong being handed back, of old age communismI suppose.2nd: And the Killing Rooms3rd: What’s that?2nd: There was a programme on about all these homeswhere they keep all the little girl babies that nobodywants. It was totally horrific the conditions these childrenwere being kept in, in that country. It was because theywere all only allowed one child and everyone wanted thatchild to be a boy. So, they just dumped them if they weregirls and they ended up in these awful homes.Moderator: Do you think that is common in China?2nd: I’m not really sure, its just that I saw thatprogramme and it was very disturbing. I know you do seelots of things about China, like it being industrial andmodern and that, but I always think of those children, Ican’t help it.Moderator: What about anyone else?3rd: Its like everything else, you only see what the newstells you so we will all remember the rioting or the studentdemonstrations, or the children in homes. But you don’thave real idea of what its really like. It’s like Russia, sobig, how could they possibly tell you all that is going onthere. (Middle class, London)1st: We would remember hearing about Communismand poverty from years ago, but its not the same now. I134 DFID – July 2000