Abstract

During the first months of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the attitude of the Chinese authorities was the object of much speculation. This paper sheds light on the Chinese official position by examining how the Chinese global channel CGTN presented the main actors and actions in the conflict over the first three months. By conducting a corpus assisted discourse study of all the reports published about the conflict on CGTN from February to May 2022, and comparing them with two similar corpora from international news providers Al Jazeera and Euronews, we identify the main trends in representation of nations, leaders and actions in all three channels. We trace how CGTN negotiated the discursive dilemma posed by China’s neutral position and consider how it used reporting on this conflict to pursue certain strategic goals, possibly with a view to influencing public opinion in areas of the world where audiences may be receptive to stances that are not overtly pro-Russian yet are sceptical of the West.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.