A netnographic analysis of tweets published in 2017 in two Twitter accounts held by Chinese diplomats based in Brussels and Ottawa highlights the polyphonic nature of Chinese diplomacy’s digital social media strategy. The accounts of these diplomats embody a modern and friendly approach to public diplomacy, which breathes new life into propaganda as a genre. They are the tip of the iceberg of China’s soft power strategies. Beijing continues to rely on forms of censorship and self-censorship that condition Chinese public discourse and stipulate that it be perfectly sleek and harmonious. This strategic dimension is likely to be well-received by foreign leaders and nationals. At the same time, these Twitter accounts permit conversations to begin and give a human face to the Chinese superpower.
Keywords
- China
- public diplomacy
- digital diplomacy
- Twitter diplomacy
- infomediaries
- polyphony