3.12.2021
Unquestionably, China's active media strategy in Central and Eastern Europe has been going on since the beginning of the pandemic. Some take it as a hybrid threat; others lean toward backing the "Chinese model". One component of China's active media strategy offensive is a series of essays published by PRC diplomats in the leading media of countries in the CEE. Through the content analyses of Bulgaria's leading media publications, where articles and interviews with Ambassador Dong Xiaojun were published during the first seven months of 2021, the commentary discussed the major argumentation presented by the Chinese diplomats.
In this regard, one should note two writings by the Chinese diplomat, Dong Xiaojun: "Choice of history, choice of the nation" on the CCP's contribution to China's modernity and prosperity, and "New development ideas leading to the development of a high-quality Chinese economy", both published in the locally popular newspaper "Земя/Zemya". On May 10, 2021, the ambassador highlighted the effectiveness of China's local authorities in preventing the spread of the pandemic. Moreover, he praised Hubei province's achievements, which, with its capital in Wuhan - according to initial findings - has been widely recognized as the origin of the coronavirus. According to information provided by Ambassador Dong, 321 of the "Fortune 500" international companies still have their headquarters or businesses in Hubei. As argued by Dong, the province is recognized as developing research and academic center, where 1.6 million students learn in approximately 130 higher education institutions. In addition, Dong highlighted the aesthetic features of the province, which is perceived as the "province of a thousand lakes". Such a narrative consistently improves the general perception of the city and the region itself. It is also, of course, a rebuttal to claims regarding the origin of the coronavirus.
In the second article, the message conferred to the wider audience seems to be more significant from the perspective of a global implementation of the Chinese model. The ambassador referred to the growth of China's GDP, which in the first half of 2021 - according to Chinese data - increased by 12.7% YOY. Ambassador Dong Xiaojun argues that five main features have a decisive impact on the economic performance of the PRC: the dynamics of growth in the innovation sector; coordination of cooperation to promote sustainable development; transformation into a "green economy"; promotion of multilateralism along with an openness of the PRC to the "outside world" and deep integration into the world economy, as well as an improvement in the living standards of "ordinary people". Furthermore, Dong elaborated that the total number of R&D personnel in the PRC for the last eight years had been the highest globally. However, this should not come as a surprise due to the great demographic potential of the PRC.
Furthermore, in 2020, the ratio of China's R&D expenditure to GDP was 2.4%, increasing 0.34% compared to 2015. As explained by Ambassador Dong, Beijing applies a set of specific tax regulations and integrative incentive policies to improve the innovation of domestic enterprises and accelerate modernization and industrial transformation. It is believed that the expansion of urbanization contributes to the growth of the innovation sector in China. According to the Seventh Population Census conducted in 2020, the urbanization rate stood at 63.8%. What is more, the Chinese diplomat emphasized the role of rural areas and the revitalization process in China, which is reflected in the modernization of agriculture. In the first half of 2021, Beijing created 50 new agricultural and industrial parks and 298 additional cities were regarded as agricultural and industrial ones.
In other words, China's presented picture is ideational, and the set of publications of Ambassador Dong Xiaojun aims to promote the "Chinese model of the socialist state" regarding the economic and political management against the backdrop of global health and trade crisis caused by the pandemic. The Chinese "code of conduct" is presented as a remedy for a range of problems - especially with the prospect of further pandemic waves. Undoubtedly, the CCP has been trying to stimulate post-pandemic economic growth with its continuous internal reforms and has achieved satisfactory results in this regard, the ambassador said.
It seems that with the rather positive perception of China in Bulgaria, the publications of Ambassador Dong Xiaojun are dedicated to filling the knowledge gap about Xi Jinping. Improving the approach to Xi Jinping, who is focused on consolidating power, promotes the use of "selected and experimented in China" management schemes regarding the state economy and society. This perception directly points to the inclusion of the "Chinese digital governance model" in the agenda for China's technological projects between Beijing and Sofia. Last year, Bulgaria joined the US-led coalition against Huawei, which means that implementing a project with the Shenzen-based tech giant is unlikely. However, some new developments in the region indicate that China has not given up on the smart city projects in countries backed by the US. The latest example is the recently completed "smart car parking" project in Timisoara, Romania. Another of China's major tech companies, ZTE, was responsible for its implementation. In fact, ZTE may well try to take over Huawei's role in a smart city project (worth 1.5 bn EUR), signed by Sofia and the Chinese telecommunications company in 2019. This might come as no surprise, as China Construction Third Engineering Bureau – known for its cooperation with ZTE – was once appointed to develop information technology-related infrastructure in Bulgaria.
Moreover, this Chinese tech campaign in Bulgaria is supported by some policymakers in the country. Yanaki Stoilov, Bulgarian minister of justice, commented on the possible adaptation of Chinese solutions. In a letter addressed to the participants of an international conference on the centenary of the establishment of the Communist Party of China, Stoilov wrote: "I am convinced that China's experience and political leadership in strategic planning, as well as the consistency of the reforms being carried out, is a very useful [model] for Bulgaria and deserves serious attention".
The Bulgarian politician also emphasized that the PRC achieved impressive successes in the international arena over the past few decades. Without a doubt, it is the desired response to the Beijing narrative. However, considering the hypothetical implementation of the "Chinese model" in Bulgaria, European Union standards will surely hinder its implementation.