China's Media Impact.pdf

56% of countries reported more positive coverage of China since the Covid-19 outbreak, while 24% reported more negative coverage.
China's media infrastructure, including training programs and sponsored trips for global journalists, has been activated to seed positive narratives about China in national media.
Beijing has used disinformation and propaganda to influence global media coverage, with 80% of countries expressing concern about disinformation in their national media.
China has increased its news offerings, providing domestic and international content tailored for each country in non-Anglophone languages.
The Chinese government has weaponized foreign journalist visas, expelling at least 18 foreign journalists and freezing approvals for new journalist visas, leading to a vacuum in China coverage.

Regional Findings:

Europe saw the biggest positive changes to China coverage, scoring 6.3 out of 10.
North America saw the most negative changes to China coverage, scoring 3.5 out of 10.
Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and MENA regions also reported changes in China coverage, with some countries experiencing more positive and others more negative coverage.

Case Studies:

Serbia: China's media outreach efforts have been successful in promoting a positive image of China in Serbian media.
Italy: China's propaganda efforts have been met with skepticism by Italian journalists, but the country's media landscape has still been influenced by Chinese disinformation.
Tunisia: China's economic investment and political support have contributed to a more positive perception of China in Tunisian media.

Conclusion:

China's global media outreach efforts have been successful in promoting a more positive image of China during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Chinese government's sophisticated and nuanced approach to media outreach has responded to the needs of each country at a national level.
The reduction in foreign correspondent corps inside China has led to a vacuum in China coverage, which has been filled by state-run Chinese sources, leading to more positive coverage overall.