China’s National Image in Fighting COVID-19 in the Eyes of Foreign Correspondents and Foreign Medical Experts

Abstract

This paper takes three foreign correspondents’ field reports and three statements from foreign medical experts as data to construct China’s national image in fighting COVID-19. First, their different attitudinal resources in frequency and ratio are analyzed. Secondly, using twelve example discourses, their attitudes are analyzed under the framework of Appraisal Theory. Analyses indicate that Judgement and Appreciation resources are the major resources in both kinds of discourses. Furthermore, foreign correspondents construct themselves as the neutral “teller” and “experiencer” of Chinese true and authentic situations, while foreign medical experts construct themselves as “appreciator” of Chinese government’s measures. Findings show that in the eyes of foreign correspondents and foreign medical experts, Chinese government is always consistent to its promise of building a global community of shared future in fighting COVID-19.