Abstract: The construction of national identity is a historic issue related to national development and national destiny, especially in the context of deepening development of globalization where the importance of this issue is even more prominent. Based on the survey data of CSS2021, this study uses structural equation model to analyze the influence mechanism of government performance perception on people’s national identity, and further tests the possible mediating effect of political trust between government performance perception and national identity. It is found that government performance perception has a significant positive effect on people’s political trust and national identity, that is, government governance performance is an important source of political trust and national identity; Political trust also has a significant positive impact on national identity, and plays a mediating role in the influence of government performance perception on national identity. Based on the important role of government performance perception in building national identity and strengthening political trust, the government should comprehensively improve governance performance to provide basic support for enhancing national identity and political trust.

Key words: government performance perception, national identity, political trust, structural equation model