Revising perceptions: China’s quests for support from domestic social media, the U.N. human rights regime, and overseas public

China, as a rising power, competes for support and influence. Mencius, an esteemed Chinese philosopher from the fourth century famously stated, “A just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little.” Justness and support are precisely what China, as a rising power, aspires to attain. From the perspective of Western competitors, China is often portrayed as a repressive authoritarian regime, thereby receiving limited support from both domestic and foreign audiences. However, this dissertation challenges this conventional wisdom and reveals the opposite. The first paper, ``We Hear You: How do State-run Media Engage and Shape Online Public Opinion? Evidence from China," shows that Chinese state-run media actively participate in engaging the domestic public through social media, focusing on their interests and framing international pressure as a means to mobilize online audiences in defense of their collective self-esteem. Directing the public’s attention to international news can increase public support for the government. The second paper, ``Be My Friendly Reviewers: How China Shapes its Reviews in the U.N. Human Rights Regime," reveals the extent to which China has influenced the liberal-based international norms within the UN human rights regime. Through the recurring peer review system, China has received average (rather than the lowest) reviews regarding its human rights conditions. The major recipients of China's overseas development initiatives tend to avoid criticizing China on sensitive human rights matters. Within the UN human rights regime, the Global South demonstrates a willingness to embrace China's alternative development-based human rights principles. The final paper, ``Up-and-coming Chinese Aid: Local Affinity to the Chinese Model in the Shadow of Western Donors" demonstrates that China has successfully garnered public support in developing countries, particularly in cases where Chinese-sponsored projects coincide with those sponsored by the World Bank. Individuals residing in areas with clusters of projects where China has demonstrated specialization, such as the resources sector, are more inclined to embrace Chinese influence and model. As an emerging donor, China presents an alternative and increasingly popular approach to providing foreign assistance, thereby cultivating soft power. While we often associate authoritarian regimes with negative connotations, this dissertation highlights that China has successfully retained support from its online public, the Global South within the United Nations, and foreign audiences in recipient countries. Overlooking China's efforts in engaging with its domestic and international audiences for support would mean missing an opportunity to effectively address its rise and confront the true challenges within this power competition.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Lu, Lu (Lucie)

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dai, Xinyuan
• Althaus, Scott
• Winters, Matthew
• Chaudoin, Stephen

• China
• Soft Power
• Perceptions
• Popularity

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Lu (Lucie) Lu

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121426

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F121426