Geopolitics through the back door? EU perceptions of Chinese strategic narratives

Nowadays, information warfare and discourse are key elements of the geopolitical toolbox. China is among the most effective in adopting a multi-track approach to geopolitics, which relies not only on economic, security and diplomatic means, but sees communication and discourse as key dimensions of geopolitical efforts. Understanding the geopolitical challenge posed by China requires evaluating How is China’s identity narrative perceived within EU media debates? By combining a strategic narratives approach with a politicization perspective, this contribution firstly analyzes China’s identity narrative, encompassing its story, values and goals. Secondly, it assesses the perceptions – in terms of sentiment and themes – of China’s identity as a global actor in the media debates of 13 EU Member States between 2017 and 2019. Finally, it analyzes EU media debates by determining the levels of domestic politicization and societal geopoliticization surrounding China’s identity narrative. This research finds that there is variation in the perception of China across EU Member States’ media debates and that in some instances, there are parallels between China’s projected narratives and discursive elements in EU debates. Within a broader context of the EU’s geopolitical turn, these findings point to a potential vulnerability stemming from its enduring fragmentation.