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<p>This article explores the dichotomous tenor of Chinese digital diplomacy, combining combining confrontational and constructive messaging. Drawing on a Bourdieusian relational framework, we argue that China’s seemingly contradictory discourse strategy represents a unified approach serving a common objective. It embodies the idea of ‘disruption and reconstruction,’ utilizing confrontation to challenge Western-dominated narratives and cooperation to construct alternative relational patterns. Through the frame analysis of 1275 tweets from ten of the most prominent Chinese diplomatic accounts, the study confirms the presence of a dichotomous yet coherent communication strategy, illustrating how Chinese diplomats articulate their dual relational framing strategies on Twitter and what these reveal about China’s broader diplomatic goals and strategies. Theoretically, this study introduces the concept of ‘confrontational social capital’ and clarifies its strategic function in reshaping the global social relational landscape. The article suggests that by systematically challenging dominators, actors may seek to accumulate social capital in the form of oppositional legitimacy.</p>

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Confrontation and Cooperation in Chinese Digital Diplomacy

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月16日

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  • Zhongzhong Fu,
  • Jonathan Sullivan

摘要

This article explores the dichotomous tenor of Chinese digital diplomacy, combining combining confrontational and constructive messaging. Drawing on a Bourdieusian relational framework, we argue that China’s seemingly contradictory discourse strategy represents a unified approach serving a common objective. It embodies the idea of ‘disruption and reconstruction,’ utilizing confrontation to challenge Western-dominated narratives and cooperation to construct alternative relational patterns. Through the frame analysis of 1275 tweets from ten of the most prominent Chinese diplomatic accounts, the study confirms the presence of a dichotomous yet coherent communication strategy, illustrating how Chinese diplomats articulate their dual relational framing strategies on Twitter and what these reveal about China’s broader diplomatic goals and strategies. Theoretically, this study introduces the concept of ‘confrontational social capital’ and clarifies its strategic function in reshaping the global social relational landscape. The article suggests that by systematically challenging dominators, actors may seek to accumulate social capital in the form of oppositional legitimacy.