Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Media in the Global Context pp 163–187Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

A Textual Analysis of Chinese Netizens’ Reactions to Counter-Terrorism Reports on The People’s Daily from 2010 to 2017

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 387 Accesses

Abstract

Studies show that compared to their American counterparts, Chinese authorities and media have less interest in global terrorist groups. Instead, the Chinese government uses global counter-terrorism as an ideology to strike on Muslim separates in Xinjiang, an autonomy bordering Afghanistan where the majority of residents are Uywur. It has taken years for the Chinese government to finally relate global counter-terrorism efforts to its domestic counter-separatism strategies. On December 27, 2015, the 18th Session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress passed the Anti-Terrorism Law of the People’s Republic of China. Major western media outlets such as Reuters, Washington Post, and New York Times immediately covered the news, and many critics feared that China was “overreacting” and called the law “controversial.” This paper analyzes The People’s Daily’s coverage on counter-terrorism events and reporting and how the netizens of “A Prosperous Nation Forum” react to it. The implications of China’s media coverage and audience responses to global counter-terrorism and domestic terrorism are suggested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Baran, S. J. (2017). Introduction to Mass Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckely, C. (2015, December 28). Antiterrorism Law Expands China’s Surveillance Power. New York Times.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckley, C., & Bradsher, K. (2018, February 15). China Moves to Let Xi Stay in Power by Abolishing the Term Limit. New York Time.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byman, D. (2015). Beyond Counterterrorism. Foreign Affairs, 94(6), 11–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, J. Y. S. (2006). Broadening the Concept of Security in East and Southeast Asia: The Impact of the Asian Financial Crisis and the September 11 Incident. Journal of Contemporary China, 15(46), 89–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chesney, R. M. (2013). Beyond the Battlefield, Beyond Al Qaeda: The Destabilizing Legal Architecture of Counterterrorism. Michigan Law Review, 112(2), 163–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • China Network Information Center. (2017). CNNIC: Thriving After 20 years’ Effort, Serving as Cornerstone on the Internet. Retrieved from https://cnnic.com.cn/AU/MediaC/rdxw/2017/201706/t20170609_69333.htm.

  • China’s People’s Congress. (2015). Anti-terrorism Law. Retrieved from http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-12/27/c_128571798.htm.

  • Chinascope. (2015, November/December). China Should Not Participate in Military Combat Against ISIS, Issue 78, 35–35, 2/3pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, C. P. (2012). Counterterrorism in Xinjiang: the ETIM, China and the Uyghurs. International Journal on World Peace, 29(3), 7–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denyer, S. (2015, March 5). China’s New Anti-terrorism Law Provokes Anger in the US, Concerns at Home. Washington Post.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dholakia, U. M., Bagozzi, R. P., & Pearo, L. R. K. (2004). A Social Influence Model of Consumer Participation in the Network- and Small-Group-Based Virtual Communities. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 21(3), 241–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duchatel, M. (2011). The Terrorist Risk and China’s Policy toward Pakistan: Strategic Reassurance and the ‘United Front’. Journal of Contemporary China, 20(71), 543–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, E. W., Moore, M., & Nosek, B. A. (2005). The War of the Words: How Linguistic Differences in Reporting Shape Perceptions of Terrorism. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 5(1), 67–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Economy, E. C. (2014). China’s Imperial President: Xi Jinping Tightens His Grip. Foreign Affairs, 80, 93–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fu, J. L., Sun, D. Y., Chai, J., Xiao, J., & Wang, S. Y. (2015, November). The ‘Six-Element’ Analysis Method for the Research on the Characteristics of Terrorist Activities. Annals of Operations Research, 234(1), 17–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuhrman, P. (2016, February 29). Government Cyber-Surveillance Is the Norm in China—And It Is Popular. Washington Post.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatson, S. N. (2011). The Methods, Politics, and Ethics of Representation in Online Ethnography. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 513–528). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, B., & Murphy, M. (2005). China’s Evolving Approach to Counterterrorism. Harvard Asia Quarterly, 9(1/2), 21–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heymann, D. L., & Rodier, G. (2004). Global Surveillance, National Surveillance, and SARS. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 10(2), 173–175. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1002.031038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IIbiz, E., & Churtis, B. (2015). Trend Setters Trend Followers, and Individual Players: Obtaining Global Counterterror Actor Types from Proscribed Terror Lists. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 38(1), 39–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janbek, D., & Wiliams, V. (2014). The Role of the Internet Post-9/11 in Terrorism and Counterterrorism. Brown Journal of World Affairs, 20(2), 297–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalathil, S. (2003). China’s New Media Sector: Keeping the State in. Pacific Review, 4, 489–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keane, S. K., & Kenneth, A. A. (2014). An Integrated Approach to Civilian-Military/Interagency Counterterrorism Capacity Building. Air Force Law Review, 71, 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C. C. (1990). Voices of China: The Interplay of Politics and Journalism. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, J. (2004). China’s Media Reform: Where to Go? Harvard China Review, 5(1), 116–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S. D. (2006). China’s Popular Nationalism on the Internet: Report on the 2005 Anti-Japan Network Struggles. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 7(1), 144–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, D. (1999). After the Propaganda State: Media, Politics and “Thought Work” in Reformed China. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Communication. Public Opinions Quarterly, 36(2), 176–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plümper, T., & Neumayer, E. (2014). Terrorism and Counterterrorism: An Integrated Approach and Future Research Agenda. International Interactions, 40(4), 579–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapoza, K. (2014, April 28). By 2016, China Internet Users to Double Entire US Population. Forbes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ren, J., & Barry, M. (2003). Media Management in a Market Economy. Beijing Review, 46, 28–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard, A. (2015). From Terrorism to ‘Radicalization’ to ‘Extremism’: Counterterrorism Imperative or Loss of Focus? International Affairs, 91(2), 371–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riessman, C. K. (2002). Narrative Analysis. In A. M. Huberman & M. B. Miles (Eds.), The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion (pp. 217–270). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubio, M., & Smith, C. (2015). Freedom of Express in China: A Privilege Not a Right. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Retrieved from http://www.cecc.gov/freedom-of-expression-in-china-a-privilege-not-a-right.

  • Shen, S., & Liu, P. (2009). Perceptions of Anti-terrorism Among Students at Guangzhou University: Misinformation or Misinterpretation? Asia Survey, 49(3), 3–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shoemake, P. J., & Reese, S. D. (2014). Mediating the Message in the 21st Century: A Media Sociology Perspective. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. J. (2009). China’s Economic and Political Rise: Implications for Global Terrorism and U.S.–China Cooperation. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(7), 627–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, D. (2010). China and Jihad Network. Journal of the Middle East & Africa, 1(2), 196–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W., & Starosta, W. J. (2001). As Heavy as Mount Taishan: A Thematic Analysis of Wang Wei’s Memorial Website. World Communication, 30(3 & 4), 61–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, W., & Starosta, W. J. (2008). Covering “The Lord of the World”: Chinese Sense-Making of the U.S 2004 Presidential Election. Human Communications, 11(1), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayne, M. I. (2007). Five Lessons from China’s War on Terror. Joint Force Quarterly, 47, 42–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayne, M. I. (2009). Inside China’s War on Terrorism. Journal of Contemporary China, 18(59), 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, W. F. (2017). Counterterrorism by Proxy. National Interest, 148, 24–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, E. (2015, October 30). China Ranks Last of 65 Nations in Internet Freedom. New York Times.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, E., & Zhang, T. (2016, February 23). Chinese Leaders New Flash: Journalists Must Serve the Party. New York Times.

    Google Scholar 

Further Reading

  • Cheng, J. Y. S. (2006). Broadening the Concept of Security in East and Southeast Asia: The Impact of the Asian Financial Crisis and the September 11 Incident. Journal of Contemporary China, 15(46), 89–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richard, A. (2015). From Terrorism to ‘Radicalization’ to ‘Extremism’: Counterterrorism Imperative or Loss of Focus? International Affairs, 91(2), 371–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubio, M., & Smith, C. (2015). Freedom of Expression in China: A Privilege Not a Right. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Retrieved from http://www.cecc.gov/freedom-of-expression-in-china-a-privilege-not-a-right.

  • Wayne, M. I. (2009). Inside China’s War on Terrorism. Journal of Contemporary China, 18(59), 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Culture and Media Studies, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA

    Wei Sun

Authors
  1. Wei Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Charlotte, NC, USA

    Emmanuel K. Ngwainmbi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sun, W. (2019). A Textual Analysis of Chinese Netizens’ Reactions to Counter-Terrorism Reports on The People’s Daily from 2010 to 2017. In: Ngwainmbi, E. (eds) Media in the Global Context. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26450-5_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation