Formalizing power in editorials in China Daily

Abstract

In recent years, with the development of her economy, the ways in which China presents herself positively to the outside world has been a major research focus of international communications studies in China. The present research contributes to this trend. Based on Martin’s theory of genre, this paper demonstrates how the institutional power of China Daily, the only national English newspaper in China, is reproduced through its generic structure in its editorials. The author shows that power is realized principally through five types of editorial, which can be generalized by the formula: entity (thing/event/people) followed by evaluation (negative/positive/calling-on). This relatively simple but stereotyped form of editorial genre corresponds to the authority of editorials and the institutional power of China Daily on the one hand; and on the other hand, it echoes the monoglossic voices in this kind discourse.