Proceedings of The 8th International Academic Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Manufacturing Hostility— Discourse and Sentiment Analysis of the Chinese Government and Media’s Statements on Taiwan During the COVID-19 Period
Yu-hui TAI
ABSTRACT:
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed the extent to which the Xi Jinping regime has relied on propaganda machines for governance. While previous literature on COVID-19 propaganda focuses mainly on 2020 and presents findings pertaining to China, this study examined China’s reporting on Taiwan during the pandemic over a 2.5-year period. The findings indicate that China’s propaganda shifted from positive energy narratives to more aggressive and divisive approaches, including fueling Chinese nationalism, creating an us vs. them narrative, and discrediting opposing views. These strategies employed by various Chinese government sources may have significant consequences for international geopolitics.
keywords: Covid-19, governmentality, cross-strait relationship, disinformation, recognition war