Thread by @ABPevzner

#China #propaganda In May 31 #Politburo meeting, #XiJinping calls for strengthening China's external media outreach, build "international discourse clout commensurate with China's overall power and int'l standing 形成同我国综合国力和国际地位相匹配的国际话语权". Highlights 1/6

Some of the principles enunciated by Xi are familiar - need to show "a more holistic, more comprehensive image of China," need to "build a strategic media system more obviously Chinese 构建具有鲜明中国特色的战略传播体系" 2/6

Xi call for better outreach "to help foreign audiences understand that the Communist Party truly struggles for the happiness of the Chinese people 帮助国外民众认识到中国共产党真正为中国人民谋幸福而奋斗" 3/6

But here is, I think, something new - #XiJinping is perhaps signaling China's #wolfwarriors to (finally) take it down a notch: "You have to find the right keynote, that is, be confident but also humble and gentle, (and) create an image of ...a lovable..China." @AlexDukalskis 4/6

"要注重把握好基调，既开放自信也谦逊谦和，努力塑造可信、可爱、可敬的中国形象." He also says outreach must be different in different countries and audiences "要采用贴近不同区域、不同国家、不同群体受众的精准传播方式" 5/6

Also calls for bigger use of int'l fora and platforms, including the main foreign social media platforms. xinhuanet.com/politics/2021-…
We'll have to see if this really has an impact of China's #diplomacy. @niubi @cnmediaproject 6/6

This, Btw, is similar to criticism by Mme. Fu Ying, writing in 2020 in People’s Daily on need for different voices. Xi doesn’t quite go that far, but he does acknowledge one size doesn’t really fit all.