Re-Branding China’s Battered Image in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic A Qualitative Analysis of Chinese Diplomatic Communications
Main Article Content
Keywords
Coronavirus, COVID-19 Pandemic, Diplomatic Communication, Chinese Cooperation, China's African Policy, Image Repair Theory
Abstract
The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic made China to witness not only high mortality rates and heavy economic losses in its national territory, but also an international image crisis which has since remained a veritable albatross for the Chinese government. In effect, by the time the epidemic was declared a pandemic, China’s image on the international stage had perceptibly become negative as both governments and citizens across the world tended to associate the Asian emerging nation with the origin and propagation of the Corona virus in the world as well as with many other crises/challenges derived from the pandemic. If China’s image crisis has attracted the attention of a number of commentators, little or no research has been done so far on how the Chinese government has sought to re-brand China’s image in the early stages of the epidemic as well as after the public health situation was declared a pandemic. This paper attempts to fill this gap in knowledge, through an examination of Chinese diplomatic communications in Nigeria during the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic. Using critical observations and a qualitative analysis of newspapers and online articles generated and published by China’s Embassy in Nigeria, the paper specifically seeks to show how China’s diplomatic communications sought to rebuild China’s image as Nigeria’s major partner in development and a friend on which Nigeria should always count to mitigate or overcome the pandemic.
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References
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Verma, R. (2020). China’s diplomacy and changing the COVID-19 narrative, International Journal 75(2), 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020702020930054
Zeng, J., Mike, S. & Schafer, S. (2021). Conceptualising “Dark Platforms”. Covid-19-related conspiracy theories on 8kun and Gab, Digital Journalism, 41(2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1938165
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Adewale, M.P. (2014). Nigeria’s China connection. New York Times, Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/opinion/majapearce-nigerias-china-connection.html.
Afro Barometre (2020). Africans’ perception about China: A sneak peek from 18 countries, London: Afro Barometer.
Argentino, M.A. & Amarasingam, A. (2020). The COVID conspiracy files. A Technical report. New York: GNET.
Avraham, E. & Ketter, E. (2016). Destination marketing during and following crises: Combating negative images in Asia. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 34(6), 709-718. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2016.1237926
Avraham, E. (2009). Marketing and managing nation branding during prolonged crisis: The case of Isreal. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 5(3), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2009.15
Avraham, E. (2018). Nation branding and marketing strategies for combating tourism crises and stereotypes towards destinations. Journal of Business Research, 48(1), 1-10.
BBC News (2020). Coronavirus: Chinese chief for Kano say make pipo no fear dem. BBC News Pidgin, Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-51702073.
BBC News (2021). Covid origin: Why is the Wuhan lab-leak theory taken seriously? BBC News Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57268111.
Benoit, W. L., & Pang, A. (2008). Crisis communication and image repair discourse. In Tricia L. Hansen-Horn & Bonita Dostal Neff (Eds.), Public relations: From theory to practice (pp. 244-261). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Benoit, W.L. (1995). Accounts, excuses and apologies: A theory of image restoration strategies, New York: University of New York Press.
Bodomo, A. (2018). Is China colonising Africa? In Raudino S. & Poletti, A. (eds), Global economic governance and human development (pp.122-135), London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315169767-7
Chang, C.K. & Fung, A.Y.H. (2021). From soft power to sharp power: China’s image in Hong-Kong health crises from 2003‑2020. Global Media and China, 6(1), 62-76. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436420980475
Christensen, T.J. (2020). A modern tragedy? COVID-19 and US-China relations, New York: Foreign Policy.
Chu, M. (2020a). China will defeat the Coronavirus. Vanguard, January 31, edition, p.47.
Chu, M. (2020b). Nigeria’s support helpful to fight Coronavirus. Vanguard, February 6, edition, p.21
Geerts, S., Xunwa, N. & Rossouw, D. (2014). Africans’ perceptions of Chinese business in Africa. A survey (Globethics net Focus No. 18), Pretoria: Ethics Institute of South Africa.
Gu, Fu, Yingwen Wu, Xinyu Hu, Jian-Feng Guo. (2021). The role of conspiracy theories in the spread of COVID-19 across the United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073843
Gupta, A. (2020). Clashes over COVID-19 aid in Nigeria. China Africa Project. Retrieved from https://chinaafricaproject.com/student-xchange/clashes-over-covid-19-aid-in-nigeria/
Imhoff, R. & Lamberty, P. (2020). A bioweapon or a hoax? The link between distinct conspiracy beliefs about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and pandemic behaviour. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 11(8), 1110-1118. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620934692
Jackson, S.F. (2019). Two distant giants. China and Nigeria perceive each other. European Middle Eastern and African Affairs, Winter edition, 40-74.
Jia, W. & Lu, F. (2021). US media’s coverage of China’s handling of COVID-19: Playing the role of the fourth branch of government or the fourth estate? Global Media and China, 6(1), 62-76. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436421994003
Kobus J. and Bryan, R. (2018). China’s impact on the African renaissance: the baobab grows Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
Krishnan, A. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic is China’s biggest crisis since Tiananmen, says Richard McGregor. The Hindu, Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-the-covid-19-pandemic-is-chinas-biggest-crisis-since-tiananmen-says-richard-mcgregor/article31438204.ece.
Low, Y.S.Y., Varughese, J. & Pang, A. (2011). Communication crisis: How culture influences image repair in Western and Asian governments. Corporate Communication: An International Journal 16(3), 218-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/13563281111156880
McGregor, R. (2010). The party: The secret world of China’s communist rulers, New York: Harper.
Muller, S., Brazys, S. & Dukalskis, A. (2021). Discourse wars and Mask Diplomacy: China’s global image management in times of crisis (Working Paper 109), Dublin: AIDDATA.
Murugi, M.S. (2019). Use of image repair strategies in terror related post crisis communication in Kenya: A case study of West Gate attack. International Journal of Social Sciences and Information Technologies, IV(XI), 59-83.
Obiezu, T. (2020). Coronavirus concerns spur Nigerian authorities to close Chinese market in Abuja. Voice of America. Retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/coronavirus-concerns-spur-nigerian-authorities-close-chinese
Obiorah, N. (2008). Rise and right in China-Africa relations: (SAIS) Working paper in African series, Washington: School of Advanced International Studies.
Onoja, A. (2020). How China lost Nigeria. The Diplomat. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/how-china-lost-nigeria/.
Oshodi, A.G.T. (2020). Nigeria and China: Understanding the imbalanced relationship. The African Report. Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://www.theafricareport.com/29060/nigeria-and-china-understanding-the-imbalanced-relationship/
Power, M. & Mohan, G. (2010). Towards a critical geopolitics of China’s engagement with African development. Geopolitics, 15(3), 462-495. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650040903501021
Quin, D. (2020). Nigerian living near a major Belt and Road project https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/23/nigerians-living-near-a-major-belt-and-road-project-grew-more-positive-toward-china-after-it-was-completed/
Seum, S. (2020). Guangzhou: Facts, solidarity and cooperation. Leadership, April 28 edition, p.27.
Sudworth, J. (2021). Wuhan marks its anniversary with triumph and denial. BBC News, Retrieved August 21, 2021, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-55765875
ThisDay (2015). “China–Nigeria ties as a framework for attaining UN Sustainable Development Goals,” This Day, Retrieved August 15 ,2021 from http://allafrica.com/stories/201511162091.html.
Umejei, E. (2015). China’s engagement with Nigeria: Opportunity or opportunist? Africa East-Asian Affairs, 3(4), 54-78. https://doi.org/10.7552/0-3-4-165
Verma, R. (2020). China’s diplomacy and changing the COVID-19 narrative, International Journal 75(2), 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020702020930054
Zeng, J., Mike, S. & Schafer, S. (2021). Conceptualising “Dark Platforms”. Covid-19-related conspiracy theories on 8kun and Gab, Digital Journalism, 41(2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1938165
Zhou, P. (2020a). China’s response on COVID-19 responsible, decisive, effective. Leadership, January 29, edition, p.44.
Zhou, P. (2020b). COVID-19: Hardship reveals true friendship. People Daily, February 2, edition, p.22
Zhou, P. (2020c). COVID-19: How China did it. Leadership, April 3 edition, pp. 22
Zhou, P. (2020d). NCP: Time for facts, science and solidarity. New Telegraph, February 11, edition, p.30
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Aug 23, 2022
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Re-Branding China’s Battered Image in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of Chinese Diplomatic Communications. (2022). Journal of BRICS Studies, 1(1), 26-40. https://doi.org/10.36615/jbs.v1i1.615
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Re-Branding China’s Battered Image in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of Chinese Diplomatic Communications. (2022). Journal of BRICS Studies, 1(1), 26-40. https://doi.org/10.36615/jbs.v1i1.615