China's Global Image Making

"In globalized and mediated societies, a country's favorable image and reputation have become more important than territory, access, and raw materials in defining its political standing and space for political action in the international system. China has emerged as a prominent player in international politics. However, China faces a significant challenge and strategic threat in realizing its dream of becoming a new global power - its image abroad. China's image has become a central concern in its foreign policy. This study aims to examine China's efforts to shape its global image in six major Islamic countries. The goal is to gather evidence on China's stature and image in the Islamic English news media, which can inform its policies and engagements with the Islamic world. The study adopts a longitudinal content analysis method to measure and assess the content related to China's image in the Islamic English news media of six influential Islamic countries: Saudi Arabia (Arab News), Pakistan (The Nation), Turkey (Daily Sabah), Iran (Tehran Times), Egypt (Daily News Egypt), and Qatar (Al-Jazeera English) for the period from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018. It examines China's political, cultural, economic, technological, and social image in the Islamic world. The analysis provides evidence on China's stature and image in the Islamic English news media, which can guide its policies and engagements with the Islamic world. The study contributes to the literature on country image construction, interpretation, and dissemination. It also sheds light on how economic relationships, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and political systems of different countries influence China's image construction, interpretation, and dissemination in the Islamic world. Furthermore, the study offers a critical analysis of Sino-Islamic relations, including future prospects and potential challenges, providing practical implications for future Sino-Islamic relations"--