China Daily 8-30 Changsha "Compared with comprehensive strength and international status, the phenomenon of 'discourse deficit' is a pain point in my country's international communication." On August 30, the 2022 China New Media Conference "Creating a Trusted, Lovely and Revered China Image" International Communication Forum was held in Changsha. China Daily Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sun Shangwu delivered a keynote speech at the forum, sharing China Daily's practice and thoughts in accelerating the construction of foreign discourse system in the new media environment.
Sun Shangwu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily.
Sun Shangwu introduced that as the main base of national English daily and international communication, China Daily insists on using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to guide foreign discourse innovation, conscientiously implements the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important congratulatory letter to the 40th anniversary of the founding of China Daily, and accelerates the innovation of the foreign discourse system and build a full-media communication pattern.
First, we must insist on both establishing and destroying the truth, strengthen speaking with facts, form an objective and fair Chinese narrative, and promote the creation of a credible China image.
"At present, the international public opinion environment is very complex. The United States and the West systematically attack and smear China in the fields of democracy, human rights, freedom, etc., and do everything to "ugly" China's image." Sun Shangwu said that in response to the groundless accusations from the United States and the West, China Daily strengthened China's narrative, spoke with facts, and smeared the "underworld filter" on the lens of the US and Western media to restore the truth. At the same time, we will innovate important concepts such as people's democracy throughout the process and "human rights are first and foremost right to survival and development", closely combine with Chinese practice, and use vivid stories to systematically explain China's practical logic and position propositions, hedge and eliminate the wrong public opinion of the United States and the West, strengthen the shaping of a "credible" image of China, and continuously enhance my voice on major issues such as democracy, freedom, and human rights.
For example, in 2021, China Daily established a "Insight" studio, aiming to target the "century lies" fabricated by the United States and the West in reports on China, and to restore a real, three-dimensional and comprehensive China to the world with objective facts. As of now, the "Examination" studio has launched a total of "Slap BBC Xinjiang Report, enough! Fake news, "Australian reporters are willing to fabricate conspiracy theories to become "Internet celebrities", "Polluted China Xinjiang Cotton", etc., with a cumulative global spread of more than 1.8 billion, and have received high attention from major overseas media such as Associated Press and the BBC.
The second is to focus on cultural people, enhance exchanges and mutual learning, vividly tell the stories of Chinese civilization, and promote the creation of a lovely image of China.
Sun Shangwu said that in the more than 5,000-year development history, the Chinese people have created the brilliant Chinese civilization and made significant contributions to the cause of human civilization progress. This is our greatest confidence. We must base ourselves on the land of China, give full play to the advantages of the Internet and new media, innovate methods and means, tell the story of Chinese civilization well to the world, create a cultural IP with international influence, and strengthen the image of a lovely China in the process of showing the long history and humanistic heritage of Chinese civilization, so that the world can better understand China, understand the Chinese people, understand the Communist Party of China, and understand the Chinese nation.
In July 2021, China Daily, in conjunction with "Internet celebrity experts" from many overseas countries, based on the classic Chinese folk music " Golden Snake Dance ", carefully launched the "Summer Music" challenge interactive activity on the overseas short video platform Tik Tok, which triggered a wave of participation among overseas netizens. The event attracted more than 300,000 overseas users to participate in the creation and interaction, uploaded more than 130,000 music videos, and the total overseas communication volume was nearly 400 million, allowing Chinese traditional music to show its unique charm and rejuvenate new vitality with the help of the "new track", effectively deepening the exchanges and mutual learning of music and culture among various countries and promoting the going out of Chinese culture.
Third, respond to global concerns, strengthen international expression, deeply explain the world significance of China solution , and promote the creation of a respectable image of China.
"We uphold a global perspective and fit the hot issues that China and the world are concerned about, and launch more easy-to-recognize and spread comic illustrations, cartoon videos and other integrated media products to comprehensively explain the common values of all mankind, global development initiatives, global security initiatives, community with a shared future for mankind, etc., and in showing China's responsibility as a responsible major country, we will strengthen the image of respectable China and gather the strong synergy of all countries around the world toward the future." Sun Shangwu said.
For example, focusing on the global focus on reducing poverty and achieving development, in 2021, China Daily launched a series of documentaries "The Journey to "Xiao" Kang", organizing American journalist Irene and Canadian journalist Matthew to conduct experiential interviews in Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and other places. By being an anchor selling wolfberry, picking apples, rushing beach sheep, picking tea and making tea, etc., I personally feel how the Chinese people accelerate development and achieve poverty alleviation according to local conditions. The series of videos share China's poverty alleviation experience, providing useful reference for global poverty governance, arousing strong responses from all walks of life overseas, and the global spread is more than 35 million. (Zhu Youfang)
