The results of a survey polling 17,000 people in 17 countries, including 1,000 in China, commissioned by BBC and conducted by GlobalScan between Dec 2013 and February 2014, was released on 31 March, 2014. The survey revealed that 47% of Chinese perceive the Chinese media to be free, as opposed to 42% of Americans.  
45% Chinese felt that the Internet is a safe place to express their opinions, while about the same percentage of Chinese as Americans say they are free to discuss any issue publicly.  Interesting also is that a much higher percentage of Chinese (76%) feel they are free of government surveillance as compared to 45% Americans.