Data from surveys on cooperation between German and Chinese cities (2021) and German and American cities (2023) (dataset)

Abstract

The dataset contains two Excel files with survey results on the international cooperation of German cities with partners in China and the United States. The research covered all 126 German cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. Electronic questionnaires were distributed between May 2020 and May 2021 (China-focused survey) and between February and June 2023 (US-focused survey) to municipal officials responsible for international cooperation, identified through systematic searches of city websites and direct contact when necessary. Participation was anonymous to ensure freedom of expression, and the results reflect respondents’ self-assessment of their city’s cooperation.

The China-focused survey achieved a 63% response rate, with 79 completed questionnaires, while the US-focused survey reached a 47% response rate, with 59 cities participating. The design of both surveys was nearly identical, enabling comparison of answers across almost all questions, although the time gap between studies constitutes a methodological limitation. The second survey contained three additional questions.

The dataset covers seven main topics: (1) the dynamics of establishing partnerships, (2) areas of cooperation, (3) benefits of cooperation, (4) forms of cooperation, (5) barriers to cooperation, (6) success factors, and (7) coordination with other actors such as other cities, the European Union, the national government, and regional authorities.

The data can serve as a source for research in political science, sociology, international relations, and urban studies, particularly in analyzing the paradiplomatic activities of German cities in transatlantic and Sino-German contexts.