Does student exchange bring symmetrical benefits to both countries? An exploration case for China and Korea

This study probed the existence of symmetrical benefits of student exchange between Korea and China. People in the public diplomacy field have acclaimed the importance of student exchange between countries, given its promise of relationship building and the perennial appeal of symmetrical benefits. To measure symmetry, this study examined three effects of student exchange between China and Korea: conation for relationship building, belief, and attitude toward the host country. Latent mean analysis using survey data found that outside of personal relationships with host nationals, the norm was asymmetry, not symmetry. As findings failed to support perfect symmetry, this study discusses the potential of imperfect symmetry in future research.