Unpacking China’s Quest for Digital “Discourse Power”

Perceptions in Beijing that Western powers are trying to constrain its influence is resulting in a concerted focus on building a China-led consensus across the Global South. Under the shorthand of ‘discourse power,’ this involves establishing China as an alternative to the United States in fields crucial to the Global South, like ICT.

The researcher Kenton Thibaut recently unpacked China’s drive towards global discourse power in a new article for The Atlantic Council, revealing it as a rapidly developing new front in geopolitics. 

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Cobus van Staden

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
6
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors

You Might Like

Chinese Propaganda Promotes Beijing’s “Pragmatism” Over Washington’s “Idealism”

Global Times is one of China’s more nationalistic media outlets that often tests new propaganda and media messaging. This article was written Global Times writer Wang Cong in Kasane, Botswana. “The US continues ...

Florida Governor Calls China an “Adversary” Determined to Control Resources in Africa

Florida governor Rick Scott is by no means an important voice on foreign policy matters but he does offer some insight here on how a lot of senior US politicians now consider China ...

For the First Time in a Long Time, China Isn’t Looming in the Background of an Africa Summit… This Time It’s the U.S.

Over the past few years at various African summits organized by the Japanese, Europeans or Americans, China has emerged as a kind of benchmark that other foreign powers are now measured against in ...

Tweet of the Day: Chinese Ambassador Denounces South African Opposition Party’s Ongoing Visit to Taiwan

Chinese Ambassador Lin Songtian, who is now quite prolific on Twitter, turned to the social media platform to express his displeasure about the Inkatha Freedom Party’s decision to visit ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP