COVID-19 vaccines have gained widespread acceptance in China; however, as of the writing of the article, all phase III clinical trials have not been completed, and preliminary trial data have not been released to the public. The purpose of the study was to explain why support of vaccines is so high in China. Using data from a survey conducted in May of 2021, we found that perception of risk and altruism partially explain this positive opinion. Moreover, the main finding of this paper is that since the Chinese government has further strengthened the link between the vaccine and patriotism, the nationalistic values are important sources of their acceptance of the vaccines. Trust in scientists which can be considered as an extension of nationalism is another key influencing factor, for the reputations of these experts are deliberately shaped by the government. Therefore, the Chinese public’s high recognition of domestic vaccines is a derivative of nationalistic ideology.