Telling China’s Story Well: Propping Up the PRC and Undermining Alternatives

• In Event: Governing Information in China: Effects at Home and Abroad

Abstract

One of the most striking aspects of Xi Jinping’s Administration has been an emphasis on external propaganda efforts. Xi has called on state-run media and government representatives as well as social influencers to “Tell China’s Story Well,” a narrative that portrays the PRC as a powerful country, leading globally, providing solutions, and shaping a new world order. This paper draws on computational social science strategies to unpack the Telling China’s Story narrative from June 2022 to July 2023. It analyzes external discourse strategies across two dominant social media platforms: Facebook and Twitter. This comparison sheds light on how the party-state attempts to shape opinions and attitudes about China beyond its borders, and demonstrates that projecting an image of a powerful PRC is reinforced by narratives that discredit the West, especially the United States. Thus, Telling China’s Story focuses not only on the accomplishments of the PRC, but also on the failures of the West. It also reveals how the party-state responds to and reframes contentious topics from Xinjiang and Taiwan to the Russia-Ukraine war and spy-balloon incident.

Authors

• Karrie J. Koesel, University of Notre Dame

• Peitong Jing, University of Notre Dame

• Tim Weninger, University of Notre Dame

• ADNAN HOQ, University of Notre Dame