| With the development of new media technology, social media has enjoyed increasing popularity with its features of openness and interactivity, and it has become an effective channel to shape image and attract attention. The Obama Administration has realized the great power of new media in this digital age promptly and built a new platform, the Sina.com micro-blog of United States Embassy in China, which aims to communicate with Chinese publics directly. By the end of September 2015, the numbers of fans have over 0.94 million,and it has become the most popular and attractive one among the micro blogs of foreign agencies. At the same time, the Chinese government starts to open Twitter to launch the new media diplomacy.From the theoretical perspectives of public relations, the cross-cultural communication as well as the smart power, this research studies on how national government launches public relations and diplomacy to foreign publics via the new media platform. This study takes the micro-blog texts of United States Embassy in China from January to September in 2015 as main research sample, and adopts the methodology of content analysis and discourse analysis,in order to explore the discourse strategies and interaction by the US government. In addition,this research makes a parallel comparison between the Chinese Embassy Ottawa Twitter and micro-blogs of United States Embassy in China, in order to provides suggestions for future Chinese new media diplomacy.This research studies on three questions: first, what are the agendas and discourse strategies used by the United States Embassy in China in its micro blogs? How does it shape the national image of the US? Second, how does the United States Embassy in China interact with the Chinese publics? Third, what are the differences between the micro blogs of United States Embassy in China and the Chinese Embassy Ottawa Twitter? What are the suggestions that can the US case provides for future Chinese new media diplomacy?By combining the content analysis and discourse analysis, chapter II responds to the first question. The United States Embassy in China has set agendas such as culture, diplomacy,political system, global public affairs and scientific technologies in micro blogs, and balanced showed the hard power and soft power of the US. Moreover, The United States Embassy in China used the “smart communication” discourse strategy in micro blogs. Through the strategies of friendly image of ambassador, political discourse, the US-China interaction anddiplomatic discourse by converting enemies into friends, this micro blog has constructed the US national image of equality, democracy and the rule of law.The chapter III focuses on the interaction between the United States Embassy in China and its Chinese fans in micro blog. The findings have shown that the United States Embassy has selectively replied to the fans' comments. The United States Embassy tends to reply the comments for “raising questions”, and by using the strategies of direct address, positive politeness and data providing, it aims to establish good relations with Chinese netizens. This interaction model follows the principle of mutual communication in public relations, the aims to convert the potential publics into active vital publics.The chapter IV makes the comparison between the Chinese Embassy Ottawa Twitter and micro-blog of United States Embassy in China, and provides practical suggestions for future Chinese new media diplomacy and public relations. The findings show that there are great differences in the aspects of popularity, discourse strategies and interaction. The Chinese Embassy lacks the awareness of relationship and mutual interaction strategies. In conclusion,the Chinese government has to enhance the sensitivity of new technologies, conduct mutual interaction based on the publics and use smart communication discourse strategies, and thus to achieve a better influence and communication effects. |
PDF Full Text Request