Ni Mingsheng: Practical Paths to Enhancing the International Communication Effectiveness of Chinese Discourse
Communication power determines influence, and the power of discourse determines the power of initiative; international communication capacity is a vital component of a nation’s cultural soft power.
The Outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan" proposes to "accelerate the construction of a Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system, and enhance the effectiveness of international communication." Currently, digital intelligence technology and media innovation are driving a profound transformation of the international communication paradigm, and the landscape of international communication is facing deep adjustments. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to "strengthen international communication capacity building, comprehensively enhance the effectiveness of international communication, and form international discourse power commensurate with our comprehensive national strength and international status." Faced with a complex international public opinion environment, we must accurately grasp the characteristics and laws of international communication, accelerate the construction of a multi-channel, multi-dimensional external communication landscape, and comprehensively enhance the effectiveness of the international communication of Chinese discourse through effective measures, thereby creating a favorable external public opinion environment for advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization.
Inspiring Empathy and Identity through Landmark Concepts and a Discourse System Integrating China and the Foreign
The capacity for discourse construction is an important foundation for enhancing the effectiveness of international communication. Excavating and innovating discourse expressions that possess Chinese characteristics and reflect Chinese practice, and creating an international communication discourse system that integrates China and the foreign, can form "Chinese expressions" in the international public opinion arena. This promotes the shift of China’s image from "other-shaped" to "self-shaped," vividly presenting a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must adopt precise communication methods that stay close to audiences in different regions, countries, and groups; promote the globalized, regionalized, and segmented expression of Chinese stories and China's voice; and enhance the affinity and effectiveness of international communication." Therefore, we should find points of convergence between Chinese culture and other cultures, advance with the times to refine original landmark concepts [1] that demonstrate Chinese experience and meet global needs, and continuously enhance the appeal, attraction, and influence of Chinese discourse and narrative systems through a "revolution in terminology" and new concepts, categories, and expressions that integrate China and the foreign. We must optimize the agenda-setting of international communication in a timely manner, using "lightweight discourse" expressed through stories and daily life to break through cognitive barriers, and continuously inspire emotional resonance and deep identity through the transmission of meaning and value-based narratives. Guided by regional culture, geopolitics, and the diverse needs of audiences, we should use "drip irrigation" [2] output as a path, emphasizing differentiated and segmented communication so that more overseas audiences can understand, internalize, and clearly grasp Chinese narratives, allowing the world to better read and understand China.
Empowering a Multi-channel, Multi-dimensional External Communication Landscape with Digital Intelligence Technology
Emerging technologies empower communication methods, effectively breaking traditional barriers of time and space, and becoming key elements in driving changes in international communication paradigms and patterns, as well as enhancing international communication potential. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must grasp the trends of mobilization, socialization, and visualization in the field of international communication, work hard on constructing an external communication discourse system, and focus on making it pleasant to receive and easy to understand." Currently, the wide application of cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Big Data has profoundly changed the modes of information exchange and cultural dissemination between nations, while also reshaping the global media structure and public opinion ecosystem. Therefore, to adapt to the new trends in digital intelligence technology and innovatively carry out online external propaganda, we must empower cultural decoding with new technology, reconstruct communication paradigms through innovation, and accelerate the construction of a more effective international communication system. We must be adept at using big data and intelligent models to capture global public opinion hotspots in real-time, effectively align with the information needs, consumption preferences, and emotional attitudes of audiences in different overseas countries and regions, and form accurate "user portraits." Through deep analysis of massive data, we should construct an efficient, precise, and internationalized intelligent communication network system with Chinese characteristics. This will drive the production of information content from "human dependence" toward "intelligent generation," and shift communication methods from "universal coverage" toward "precision reaching," effectively improving the level of cross-regional and cross-cultural communication. Following the development trend of media fusion and innovation, we should actively explore diverse communication channels. In the process of accelerating deep media fusion, we should create digitalized, networked, and intelligent cultural communication platforms and work on the effective linkage between internal and external propaganda. We must be skilled at both "expressing feelings" and "explaining reason," and at both "speaking for ourselves" and inspiring "others to speak of us." We should strive to build a multi-subject, wide-ranging communication ecosystem and matrix, actively creating an all-media external communication landscape. We should be adept at using Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to create immersive cultural experiences, allowing overseas audiences to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture as if they were there. Through the construction of diverse scenes and multi-dimensional user interaction, we can promote the digital empowerment and intelligent transformation of Chinese cultural dissemination, thereby effectively enhancing communication quality, effectiveness, and international influence.
Seizing the Commanding Heights of International Communication through Platform Synergy and Cross-Screen Propagation
Currently, international communication presents a new trend of multi-node, multi-level, and multi-subject interactive driving. Continuously enriching channel resources, optimizing communication forms, and accelerating the transnational allocation of resources, cross-screen propagation of products, and cross-border creation of value have become effective paths to enhance international communication effectiveness. In the era of digital intelligence, national mainstream media must accelerate intelligent upgrades and be adept at "borrowing a boat to head out to sea" [3]. By deeply analyzing the recommendation mechanisms of overseas platforms, optimizing content tags and release timing, and increasing the recommendation weight of relevant content on these platforms, we can continuously optimize agenda-setting on the platform end. We should establish a quick-response mechanism for global reporting networks, increase the reach and influence of information, and actively seize the initiative in the international public opinion contest. We must create an all-media international communication matrix, and while strengthening data privacy protection, encourage high-quality domestic platforms to "take root overseas." Aiming at different cultural backgrounds and communication scenarios, we should develop multi-modal content generation systems, make good use of algorithmic recommendation rules, use mainstream value guidance to steer algorithms, and precisely push content to improve the affinity and integration of Chinese discourse dissemination, continuously enhancing user preference, communication influence, and international competitiveness. We must strengthen cooperation with international media platforms and effectively play the role of "bridging" organizations. We should deepen the synergy and cooperation between our country's communication platforms and international organizations, overseas media, multinational corporations, and cultural institutions, continuously expanding the international public opinion "circle of friends" that knows China and is friendly toward China. We should strengthen the cooperation and interconnectivity between autonomous platforms and overseas platforms through joint policy formulation, project cooperation, and technical co-construction to break through barriers and development constraints. By linking communication resources, we can help local international communication "break through the circle" [4] and effectively enhance international communication capacity and the discourse power of autonomous platforms.
Enhancing "Self-shaping" Capability through Effective International Public Opinion Struggle Strategies
Currently, the international public opinion landscape remains "strong in the West and weak in the East." To thoroughly reverse this situation and master the initiative for victory in international public opinion, we must always maintain high vigilance and keen insight into the external public opinion environment. Regarding major international events and emergencies, we must dare to struggle and speak out in a timely manner. We must continuously enhance overseas delivery capabilities and focus on "timing, degree, and effectiveness" [5] to clarify false information and refute erroneous information, ensuring that authoritative voices take the lead, set the tone from the start, and hit the mark with a single shot. We must focus on resolving the "contrast" between China's true image and Western subjective impressions, and the "gap" between "self-shaping" and "other-shaping." By actively setting new agendas, proposing new concepts, and transmitting new ideas, we can effectively respond to Western false narratives and slanderous attacks. Through active explanation of the Chinese position and by clearly putting forward Chinese proposals and Chinese solutions, we can clarify the truth in a timely manner and effectively seize international discourse power. We must accelerate the creation of an international communication team that is politically strong, professionally proficient, and technologically savvy. We should play a "combination punch" of official, academic, folk, and international discourse, focusing on exposing and criticizing rumors and lies. We should be adept at using mechanisms like press conferences and major events to engage in bi-directional dialogue and organic interaction with various overseas audiences. By creating the maximum synergy in discourse dissemination, we can firmly hold the power to define and speak for China's international image in the New Era, enhancing our "self-shaping" capability in international communication. Finally, we must do a good job in evaluating the effectiveness of the international communication of Chinese discourse, accelerating the construction of a high-standard, standardized, and operable system of evaluation indicators. We should systematically layout assessments based on country-specific effects, language effects, and media effects, making good use of technologies like big data and generative AI to effectively build a system for the collection, organization, feedback, and application of international communication effect data. This will drive international communication work to achieve overall improvement in quality and efficiency, creating a favorable external environment for the cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.