Cover not available

Article published In: Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 11:1 (2012) ► pp.93–114

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Understanding contemporary Chinese political communication

A historico-intercultural analysis and assessment of its discourse of human rights

 | Zhejiang University
Published online: 22 March 2012
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.11.1.05shi
In the international scholarship, Chinese political communication is usually viewed from a political-economic and West-centric perspective. Consequently, it is portrayed as a product of the Chinese Communist Party(‘s ideology), deviant, totalitarian and unchanging. In this article I first argue for a historical and intercultural approach and so a view of contemporary Chinese political discourse as dynamic, critical-creative and cultural-hegemony-resistant. Then I analyze and assess accordingly the case of the Chinese discourse of human rights. It will be seen that this discourse has been evolving topically, reinforcing socially, and responding interculturally, thereby constituting a historic transformation in China’s human rights situation on the one hand and a counter-veiling force in the unbalanced international communication on human rights on the other. In conclusion I suggest that the mainstream scholarship go beyond the a-historical-and-a-intercultural approach to political communication in general and to that of non-Western societies in particular.
References (48)
References
Austin, John L. 1962. How to Do Things with Words. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Brady, Anne-Marie. 2002. Regimenting the public mind: the modernisation of propaganda in the PRC. International Journal (Canadian Institute of International Affairs) 57 (4), 563—578.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Briscoe, Felecia M., Gilberto Arriaza & Rosemary C. Henze. 2009. The Power of Talk: How words change our lives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Cowin.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Caldas-Coulthard, Carmen Rosa, Malcolm Coulthard. (ed.). 1996. Texts and practices: readings in critical discourse analysis. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Guoming. 2001. Towards transcultural understanding: A harmony theory of Chinese communication. In: Virginia. H. Milhouse, Molefi Kete Asante, and Peter O. Nwosu (eds). Transculture: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Relations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 55—70. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2004. The two faces of Chinese communication. Human Communication 71, 25—36.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Lijiang. 2007. Wenhua Yujing yu Zhengzhi Huayu (Cultural Context and Political Discourse: Discourse analysis of press conference). Beijing: China Broadcast and Television University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Ran. 1997. Siren Shenghuo (Private Life). Beijing: Authors Publisher.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Xulu. 2008. Zhongguo Jingdai Shi Shiwu Jiang (Fifteen Lectures on Modern Chinese History). Beijing: China Book Bureau.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cheng, Chungying. 1987. Chinese philosophy and contemporary human communication theory. In: D. Lawrence Kincaid (eds). Communication theory: Eastern and western perspectives. New York: Academic Press, 23—43. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chou, Chih Chieh. 2008. Bridging the global and the local: China’s effort at linking human rights discourse and neo-Confucianism. China Report 44 (2), 139—52. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chu, Leonard. L. 1985. Mass communication theory: the Chinese perspective. In AMIC-Thammasat University Symposium on Mass Communication Theory: the Asian Perspective, Bangkok, Oct 15—17, 1985. Singapore: Asian Mass Communication Research & Information Centre.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1994. Continuity and Change in China’s Media Reform. Journal of Communication 441, 4—21. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fairclough, Norman. 1992. Discourse and Social Change. Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fowler, Roger. (etal.). 1979. Language and Control. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Healy, Paul. 2006. Human rights and intercultural relations: A hermeneutico-dialogical approach. Philosophy and Social Criticism 32 (4), 513—41. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jin, Guantao. 2009. Guannian Shi Yanjiu: Zhongguo Xiandai Zhongyao Zhengzhi Shuyu de Xingcheng (The formation of modern China’s major political terminologies). Beijing: Law Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kress, Gunther & Robert Hodge. 1979. Language as Ideology. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuo, Saihua. 2001. Reported speech in Chinese political discourse. Discourse Studies 3 (2), 181—202. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, Kai, Li Shiyue & Li De. 1994. Zhongguo Jingdai Shi: 1840—1919 (The Modern History of China). Beijing: China Book Bureau.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lin, Bai. 1999. Yige Ren de Zhanzheng (One Person’s War). Wuchang: Changjiang Art Publisher.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lin, Zhijun & Ma Licheng. 2008. Huhuan: Dangjin Zhongguo de Wuzhong Shengyin (Calls: Five contemporary China’s voices). Wuhan: Hubei People’s Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Liu, Xuejun. 2004. Zhengzhi Wenming de Wenhua Shijiao: Zhongguo Xiandaihua Jingcheng zhong de Zhengzhi Wenhua Zouxiang (A Cultural Perspective on Political Civilization: China’s political orientation during modernization). Nanchang: Jiangxi Higher Education Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pye, Lucian W. 1978. Communications and Chinese Political Culture. Asian Survey 18 (3), 221—246. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Renwick, Neil. & Cao Qing. 1999. China’s Political Discourse towards the 21st Century: Victim-hood, identity, and political power. East Asia: An International Quarterly 17 (4), 111—43. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Robertson, Roland. 1992. Globalization: Social theory and global culture. London: Sage Publications.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1995. Glocalization: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. In: Mike Featherstone, Scott M Lash and Roland Robertson (eds). Global Modernities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 25—44. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shi-xu. 2005. A Cultural Approach to Discourse. Houndmills, England: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2009. Asian Discourse Studies. Asian Journal of Communication 19 (4), 384—97. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2010. Wenhua Huayu Yanjiu: Tansuo Zhongguo de Lilun, Fangfa yu Wenti (Cultural Discourse Studies: Exploring Chinese theory, methods and issues). Beijing: Beijing University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shi-xu, Manfred Kienpointner & Jan Servaes. (ed.). 2005. Read the Cultural Other. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyten. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Steiner, Henry J., Philip Alston & Ryan Goodman. 2006. International Human Rights in Context: Law, politics, morals. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Stephen, Angle C. 2002. Human rights and Chinese thought; a cross-cultural inquiry, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, Wenquan. & Liu Tianlu. 2001. Zhongguo Jingdai Shi (1840—1949) (Modern Chinese History). Beijing: Higher Education Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, Xiaobo. 2008. Geming Shiqi de Aiqing (Love in Revolutionary Times). Shanghai: Shanghai Art Publisher.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, Xiaoning. 2002. Cong Geming Huayu dao Jianshe Huayu de Zhuanbian (Change from Revolutionary Language to Constructive Language). Journal of Beijing University of Chemical Technology (Social Sciences Edition) 36 (1): 40—44.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, Yide, Yang Shouming. & Feng Wanyong. (ed.). 2008. Dangdai Shijie Jingji yu Zhengzhi (Contemporary World Economy and Politics). Hefei: China Science and Technology University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wodak, Ruth, Rudolf de de Cillia, Martin Reisigl and Karin Liebhart. 1999. The discursive construction of national identity. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wu, Ninggeng. 2005. Shijie Jingji Geju Biandong zhong de Fangzhanzhong Guojia Jingji (Developing Countries’s Economy in the Changing World Economic Order). Beijing: Beijing University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Xu, Zhongyue. 2008. Zhongguo Jingdai Shi: Zhonguo de Fengdou (Modern Chinese History: China’s struggle) Sixth Ed. Trans. Ji X-f. et al.. Beijing: World Book Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yang, Yang. 2008. Wenhua Zhixu yu Zhengzhi Zhixu: Rujiao Zhongguo de Zhengzhi Wenhua Jiedu (Cultural Order and Political Order: Cultural and political reading of Confucian China). Beijing: China Politics and Law University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yang, Yanhong. 2009. Guoji Maoyi Moca de Xin Geju (The New Order of World Trade Friction). Beijing: China Social Science Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yin, Jing. 2007. The Clash of Rights: A critical analysis of news discourse on human rights in the United States and China. Critical Discourse Studies 4 (1), 75—94. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhang, Youwen. & Huang Renwei. 2005. 2005 Zhongguo Guoji Diwei Baogao (China’s International Status Report 2005). Beijing: People’s Publisher.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhao, Yunze. 2009. Zhongguo Baokan Fumian Xinwen Jinnian de Fazhan Bianhua (Changes and developments in the negative news coverage in recent Chinese newspapers). Guoji Xinwen Jie (International Journalism) (3), 53—56.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zheng, Shiqu. (ed.). 2007. Zhongguo Jingdai Shi (The Modern History of China). Beijing: Beijing Normal University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhou, Minkai. 2006. Dangdai Shijie Zhengzhi Jingji yu Guoji Guanxi (Contemporary World Political Economy and International Relations). Beijing: Higher Education Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (13)

Cited by 13 other publications

Wang, Xi & Xiaoyu Sun
2023. A Bibliometric Study on Chinese Discourse (1994–2021). Critical Arts 37:3 ► pp. 78 ff. DOI logo
Liu, Stephanie Na & Tsan-Kuo Chang
2020. Continuities and changes of media construction of citizenship rights in China: the case of thePeople’s Daily, 1978–2012. Asian Journal of Communication 30:5 ► pp. 343 ff. DOI logo
Lams, Lutgard
2017. Othering in Chinese official media narratives during diplomatic standoffs with the US and Japan. Palgrave Communications 3:1 DOI logo
Wang, Jiayu
2016. Narrative mediatisation of the “Chinese Dream” in Chinese and American media. Journal of Language and Politics 15:1 ► pp. 45 ff. DOI logo
Wang, Jiayu
2019. Stereotyping in representing the “Chinese Dream” in news reports by CNN and BBC. Semiotica 2019:226 ► pp. 29 ff. DOI logo
Wang, Wei
2014. Coffee and 18 years of endeavour: stances towards white-collar migrants in China. Journal of Multicultural Discourses 9:2 ► pp. 134 ff. DOI logo
Shi-xu & Feng-Bing
2013. Contemporary Chinese communication made understandable: A cultural psychological perspective. Culture & Psychology 19:1 ► pp. 3 ff. DOI logo
Zhou-min, Yuan
2013. Understanding identity discourse: a critical and sociolinguistic perspective. Journal of Multicultural Discourses 8:1 ► pp. 79 ff. DOI logo
Shi-xu
2012. Why do cultural discourse studies? Towards a culturally conscious and critical approach to human discourses. Critical Arts 26:4 ► pp. 484 ff. DOI logo
Shi-xu
2015. Towards a Cultural Methodology of Human Communication Research. In Contemporary Chinese Discourse and Social Practice in China [Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse, 4], ► pp. 45 ff. DOI logo
Shi‐xu
2015. Cultural Discourse Studies. In The International Encyclopedia of Language and Social Interaction, ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo
[no author supplied]
2013. Reconstruire les paradigmes orientaux des études de discours. Langage et société n° 144:2 ► pp. 109 ff. DOI logo
[no author supplied]
2014. IN CULTURAL DIALOGUE WITH CDA. Critical Discourse Studies 11:3 ► pp. 360 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 13 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue