How developing nations in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia cover the Chinese economy?

Four regions, ten days, 12 countries, 20 media outlets, 169 articles.

Students of GBJ Tsinghua University Program released the data on the Chinese economy coverage in media of the developing countries in the period of 20-29 April.

Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan represented Europe; Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines – Asia; South Africa represented Africa, and Brazil – South America.

China is an increasingly important player in global affairs. However, the question of how it is presented in the international media is little-studied. This matters because even in today's increasingly interconnected world the media influences perceptions of other countries.

Media framing is an essential part of meaning-making in the construction of media products. Media practitioners frame events and stories to highlight differences in their attributes or stages. As a result, these media products influence our understanding of the world.

What does the released students’ spreadsheet highlight?

Pakistan takes the first place, according to its number of articles (49) within ten days. Russia goes second with 38 articles. Indonesia, Malaysia and Armenia close the top five, with 19, 18, and 13 articles, respectively.

There is no correlation between number of chosen media organizations in the country and quantity of published articles. Three media outlets were analyzed in Pakistan, Russia and Brazil. Nevertheless, the number of Brazilian articles is eight times less than of Pakistani ones, and six times less than of Russian ones.

Comparing Indonesia and South Africa, where students analyzed two media outlets of each country, the number of Indonesian articles is three times higher.

Countries with only one chosen media organization, such as Malaysia, Armenia, Uzbekistan and Philippines, also showed drastically different results in Chinese coverage. 18 and 13 articles were published in ten days in Malaysia and Armenia, and only two materials in Uzbekistan and Philippines.

Speaking about qualitative differences, all the articles were designated as either the international or the business sections. Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and India put them into international category only. Russia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa and Brazil attributed them to both international and business sections, while Malaysia concentrated on business division.

Tone of all the articles depended on the topic. If they were connected with China’s construction, innovation, economic development, and met interests of the country, tone was positive or mixed positive.

Russian media used affirmative tone informing that China supports Russia in Syrian question, and writing about a Chinese city that will become a sister city with Chelyabinsk.

India expressed positive tone, writing that China wants India to be a part of Belt and Road Initiative. Mixed negative tone was in the materials about India’s wish that China would consider their concern over CPEC (China–Pakistan Economic Corridor).

Pakistani media informed positively almost all the time. Specifically, about CPEC, China establishing manufacturing in Karachi, and the first female Chinese chief in Pakistan. Extremely positive tone of Pakistani media lays on the surface of historical relations between these two countries. Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize PRC (People’s Republic of China), when the rest of the world recognized ROC (Republic of China). It stood by China throughout the 20-year embargo by the Western Allies, the break with USSR, the internal turmoils, and the severe famine in the late 1960s. Pakistan helped facilitate Nixon's visit to China in 1972. After the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Pakistan and Cuba were only two countries that stood by China.

Kazakhstan and Armenia wrote positively about Chinese construction of space and thermal power stations. However, their tone was negative, when journalists prepared the materials about Chinese ban of Muslim names and difficulties of investing money. Ukraine media wrote negatively that China did not want to approve US plans.

China has implemented a plan to build up its soft power throughout mutual knowledge of the people of different countries. It broadcasts in the world’s main languages. China has invested a large amount of resources in the development of news agencies and media outlets focused on particular social groups. Xinhua, China Daily, CCTV and China Radio International were established in Kenya and South Africa. Nevertheless, South Africa’s tone is only net neutral in the analyzed articles, as well as in Brazil. Brazilian media outlets that have developed in parallel to European and American media, but had relatively little contact historically, culturally, and linguistically with China, portray this country as a favorable partner only.

Nothing but economic focus of Brazil and South Africa and only analysts quoted also represent that these countries view China as a partner. Pakistan, Malaysia and India concentrate on economic issues as well, but they rest on government officials’ words. Russia and former Soviet Union countries’ focus varies from political and diplomatic to economic and military. Journalists base their articles on government and company officials, academics and analysts.

The most frequently used words are China (Chinese), North Korea, Belt and Road, CPEC, nuclear, trade, aircraft, bank, space, development, infrastructure, growth, Pakistan, Russia and Trump.