Empathy In Chinese Diplomatic Rhetoric

Diplomatic rhetoric encompasses the strategic utilization of persuasive language and discourse by political actors in international political interactions,with the overarching objective of accomplishing diplomatic goals.It entails purposeful deployment of rhetorical resources and adept application of rhetorical skills to effectively navigate and communicate within diplomatic contexts.Though diplomatic rhetoric,a country articulates its diplomatic principles,fundamental values,and addresses specific diplomatic challenges within specific rhetorical contexts.In the case of China,its diplomatic rhetoric serves as a conduit for external communication and interaction,providing a platform to manifest the country’s emotions in its international engagements.Empathy rhetoric,a novel concept introduced by Chinese scholars,emerges from an examination of the theoretical foundations of rhetoric and empathy,as well as an analysis of practical demands.It fundamentally entails the deliberate endeavor of a rhetor to enter a state of empathy with the audience,driven by rhetorical objectives.Within the limits of their capabilities,the rhetor strives to attain temporal synchronization and emotional alignment with the audience,while also discerning the nature and origins of emotions for both the audience and themselves.This enables the rhetor to differentiate between audience representation and self-representation,and subsequently devise and execute rhetorical strategies.Such operational mechanism in rhetoric is denoted as "empathy rhetoric." The concept of empathy rhetoric corresponds with the traditional Chinese notion of harmony and aligns with the fundamental principles of Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.By employing the theoretical framework of empathy rhetoric for rhetorical analysis,it becomes feasible to systematically study and theorize relevant rhetorical phenomena in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.This approach offers a fresh perspective on Chinese diplomatic rhetoric,exploring the realms of emotion and empathy,and prompting the formulation of innovative and pragmatic recommendations.Based on the literature review and observations of Chinese diplomatic rhetorical texts,this study focuses on two research questions:Why is China practicing empathy in diplomatic rhetoric?How does China embody empathy in its diplomatic rhetoric?Chapters Four and Five address the first research question,while Chapters Six,Seven,and Eight address the second research question.In addressing the primary research question,this study engages in a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental characteristics of diplomatic rhetoric and Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.It asserts that diplomatic rhetoric possesses notable symbolism and persuasiveness,necessitating the development and implementation of targeted rhetorical strategies to achieve persuasive outcomes.Chinese diplomatic rhetoric,in particular,adheres to diplomatic principles and traditional concepts,including the distinctive diplomatic concept of Major Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics,the philosophical notion of "harmony" in traditional Chinese thought,and the principles encapsulated in the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.Subsequently,this study delves into the examination of emotions and empathy in the context of diplomatic rhetoric and Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.Emotions within diplomatic rhetoric exhibit unique attributes,characterized by their profound rational essence,which manifests in diverse states contingent upon diplomatic objectives,principles,and national interests.Likewise,empathy in diplomacy carries a rational connotation,serving to mitigate emotional conflicts between countries and foster mutual understanding.By critically evaluating the alignment of empathy with Chinese diplomatic principles and traditional thought,as well as exploring the impact of emotions and empathy in the diplomatic realm,this study addresses the question of "Why is China practicing empathy in diplomatic rhetoric."In addressing the second research question,this study adopts a qualitative analysis methodology and constructs a novel analytical framework that integrates discourse analysis frameworks,empathy rhetoric mechanisms,and the content and characteristics of Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.This framework delineates the rhetorical situations of empathy rhetoric and subsequently conducts an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of empathy in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric across four distinct levels.The analytical framework aligns with the sequential steps of the empathy rhetoric mechanism and serves as a specific application within the context of Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.The expression of empathy rhetoric is categorized into three hierarchical levels,namely topic,semantic content,and discursive representation,with the discursive representation further subcategorized into lexical,collocational,and syntactic types.The analysis framework initially presents the rhetorical context of empathy rhetoric and then proceeds to analyze the phenomenon from four levels:contextual,textual,rhetorical,and diplomatic.Subsequently,this study employs case studies of rhetorical texts related to "the Belt and Road Initiative," including a)speeches delivered by President Xi Jinping at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and b)responses from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokespersons during regular press conferences.The objective is to explore the effectiveness of employing the new analytical framework in interpreting the phenomenon of empathy in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric and to identify the pathways,mechanisms,or patterns through which empathic resources are utilized in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric from the perspective of empathy rhetoric.The analysis outcomes reveal that the newly developed analytical framework effectively interprets the phenomenon of empathy in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.It demonstrates that Chinese diplomatic rhetoric extensively employs empathic resources to facilitate the attainment of rhetorical objectives and foster effective communication between countries.Through this analytical process,the question of "How does China embody empathy in its diplomatic rhetoric" is addressed,shedding light on the mechanisms,strategies,and patterns underlying the utilization of empathy resources in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.This study undertakes an examination of empathy rhetoric in diplomacy from both an ontological and normative perspective.It seeks to understand the nature of empathy rhetoric and its ideal manifestation within the realm of Chinese diplomacy.The research is significant in both theoretical and practical domains.The theoretical dimension involves an exploration of empathy rhetoric as a newly emerged rhetorical theory,which has received limited attention and analysis within academia.This study reevaluates the origins,meaning,and mechanisms of empathy rhetoric,situating it within the rhetorical context of Chinese diplomacy.It reveals that empathy rhetoric possesses notable theoretical potential and can be applied to the study of diplomatic rhetoric.This discovery contributes to the advancement and expansion of empathy rhetoric theory,providing a theoretical basis for the development of an empathy rhetoric system specific to diplomatic rhetoric.From a practical perspective,this study establishes a practical pathway for the application of empathy rhetoric in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.Emphasizing that empathy rhetoric transcends mere rhetorical skills,it highlights the importance of rhetors harnessing empathic resources,considering the emotional states of the audience,and transforming cognitive patterns.This research constructs a practical approach to empathy rhetoric that commences from its rhetorical origins.The analysis demonstrates that empathy rhetoric is widely and deeply integrated into Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.However,there is still a lack of a comprehensive and systematic approach to its study and implementation.The analytical framework introduced in this study,along with the subsequent examination of rhetorical cases,may make considerable contributions to the study of Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.