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The few theoretical studies comparing guanxi (interpersonal relationships) and social capital suggest that both network types are based on norms of trust and reciprocity, but guanxi is also underpinned by strong and recognisable normative dynamics of renqing (reciprocity) and face. However, there has been little empirical investigation into these differences. We compare networking practices among Australian Chinese migrants (ACMs) and Australian non-migrants (ANMs) via qualitative interviews, showing: (i) ACMs and ANMs use strong and weak ties differently due to normative differences; (ii) ACMs initiate guanxi dynamics with ANMs whenever possible, but ANMs lack cultural knowledge for reciprocation; and (iii) ACMs’ connections to non-Chinese people are consequently not guanxi-based, but grounded in Western social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social trust is an important phenomenon, but the influence of important time-based measures upon trust has not been examined. Such measures include social contact and anti-social activity, such as television watching, which allows for the co-presence of other people. This paper reports on associations between trust and weighted means of co-present "social" time (defined as time spent in various "social" activities) and co-present time spent watching television, using the Australian Time Use Survey, 2006. It finds that trust is associated with social time spent in the co-presence of "strangers" predominately from outside the household, and that TV watching in the co-presence of "familiars"--friends and family--is negatively associated with trust.

The global diaspora of Chinese migrants maintains vital economic, social and cosmopolitan connections between China and many Western countries. These migrants face the challenge of navigating and building social capital within Western host countries. Previous studies show that Chinese networks make use of pre-existing strong guanxi ties based on shared cultural expectations to support members. However, the thinness of guanxi networks in foreign countries raises doubts about their capacity to support the migration experience. This study uses qualitative interview data to show that both Chinese migrants and non-migrant Australians use strong ties to acquire resources, such as favours. However, Chinese migrants also make use of weak guanxi ties to seek favours in ways Australian non-migrants typically do not. This indicates a more important role for weaker – or what we call peripheral – ties in Chinese migrant guanxi networks than previous studies suggest, but also points to a lack of alternative resources amongst Chinese migrants struggling to build non-guanxi social capital ties with non-migrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]