The Lowy Institute’s Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project (2020–2023), funded by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, comprised three nationally representative surveys of the Australian population of Chinese heritage and three Lowy Institute Analysis papers. A key aim of the Project was to investigate the sentiments of Chinese-Australian communities in the context of growing tensions in bilateral ties between China and Australia.

The cornerstone of the Project was the annual Being Chinese in Australia: Public Opinion in Chinese Communities survey report — with all three editions housed on a dedicated online platform. The three surveys conducted from 2020–2022 provide the most comprehensive study on public record of the perspectives of more than five per cent of the Australian population. Respondents were asked about their experiences as individuals of Chinese heritage living in Australia, including their attitudes towards both Australia and China; the impact of tensions in the Australia–China relationship on their sense of belonging; their experiences of discrimination; their trust in China and interactions with the Chinese government and affiliated organisations in Australia; their sources of news and information; and their attitudes towards democracy and other systems of government.

Complementing this quantitative research, the Lowy Institute also undertook qualitative in-depth discussions with a range of stakeholders from Chinese-Australian communities on the themes of the annual survey. In addition, three research papers were commissioned and published to explore the role, uses and challenges of Australia’s Chinese-language media, Chinese-Australian community organisations, and WeChat in electoral politics (using the 2021 New South Wales local council elections as a case study).

Altogether, the Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project has contributed a unique and extensive body of data and analysis to inform public and policy discussions on how Chinese-Australian communities see Australia and their place in it. This capstone report summarises the findings of the project’s major outputs, including providing a consolidated analysis of three years of focus groups in the second half of the report.