A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE YOUTUBE COMMENTS ON THE CHINA-US ANCHORAGE SUMMIT

This paper explores the China-US relationship through a thematic analysis of 781 YouTube comments on the China-US Anchorage Summit. Guided by the six conditions of Dahlberg’s model of an ideal online public sphere, this study has found: first, the emerged themes from the selected comments fit in with Dahlberg’s six conditions in terms of gratitude, opposition, reflection, respect, accuracy, and inclusion. Second, the YouTube platform presents the online commentators an ideal public sphere for active and meaningful interactions with one another, thus showcasing that an online public sphere is feasible, practical, and ideal. As implications, the research findings herein reinforce the validity of Dahlberg’s model by showcasing YouTube as one of the most important social media outlets which materializes the existence and facilitates the operation of an ideal online public sphere. Meanwhile, the research findings also shed light onto further explorations of the online social media and genuine understanding of the developmental trajectory of the China-US relationship.