A Study Of International Communication Capacity Of China's Mainstream Media In Light Of Public Diplomacy

Public diplomacy reflects a country's effort in promoting mutual understanding between different cultures. It is a systematic plan for the marketing of nations. The core carrier of public diplomacy is international communication. The ability of communication determines a country's influence in the world. The modern media has promoted the integration of domestic politics and international relations. Public diplomacy is interacting and integrating with the national-influence-building through the media.During the past three decades since the reform and opening up, China has been pursuing a peaceful rise in the international community and its international status has been rising gradually. However, at the same time, the soft power of Chinese culture is still lacking. China's international communication is large in scale but not strong in influence. The situation that the western countries have a much louder voice than China on the international stage still exists.As the "eyes and tongue" of the country, the Xinhua News Agency is an official press with a grassroots background. China's mainstream media, with Xinhua as a representative, are making accomplishments in the field of public diplomacy through a combination of measures such aspublicity, diplomacy and international marketing. In the light of public diplomacy, this essay observes theinternational communication capacity of China's mainstream media, analyzes its problems and causes, and proposes suggestions for its further development on the basis of western media's experience and lessons.First of all, the essay demonstrates the connotation, characteristics and mutual relations of public diplomacy, mainstream media and international communication capacity. From the angle of communication, the international communication channel of mainstream media is an important platform for public diplomacy, and public diplomacy is a major measure with which the mainstream media carries out international communication. Facts proved that taking the initiative to set agenda against the background of public diplomacy, in such forms as cultural communication and information programs, can help build a speech system that can resonate both with Chinese and foreign people, so as to better reach foreign audience, improve China's international influence, and gain a bigger say in the international community. Secondly, this essay briefs the status quo of the international communication capacity of China's mainstream media, which can be separated into three phases:the era of seclusion featuring a limited amount of Chinese news reporting for overseas and even less international news coverage before the reform and opening up; a time of exploration featuring China's effort in introducing itself to the world; a time of transformation and upgrade featuring the country's effort in improving the overseas layout of Chinese media and promoting the restructuring of mainstream media since 2009.The essay takes Xinhua News Agency as an example, and systematically studies its status, influence, broadcasting channels, framework for agenda-setting, audience targeting, and organization mechanism. It also takes an in-depth study of Xinhua's history, the evolution of the publicity reporting and diplomatic activities.Xinhua is China's most important state-owned media, and it is also a miniature of China's international publicity. Through studying this example, the essay evaluates the major advantages, problems, influencing factors and future development path of China's international communication capacity building.Additionally, the essaystudies the international communication capacity building of western media, and makes comparison between the western and Chinese media, in order to draw experience from the west.Based on these studies, from the angle of public diplomacy, the essay offers some suggestions for China's mainstream media's international communication capacity building, including making overall strategy, improving agenda-setting ability, strengthening internationalized narrative ability, enhancing the construction of communication channels, and innovating communication measure.