Study on Discursive Construction of Regional Image of Northeast China—A Case Study of China Daily

本文通过分析China Daily对东北地区的报道，探讨了该地区区域形象的构建方式及其背后的话语策略。通过对关键词的统计和分类，研究发现，东北地区在媒体报道中主要呈现出经济振兴、社会发展、文化特色、生态保护和地方政府政策等多维度的形象。经济类报道占据较大比例，重点关注产业转型、基础设施建设及农业粮食生产，凸显东北在国家振兴战略中的关键地位。社会类报道则聚焦民生问题、疫情防控和地方治理，反映出东北在社会保障、公共卫生等领域面临的挑战与应对。文化和旅游类报道通过突出东北的冰雪资源和自然景观，塑造了其作为冬季旅游目的地的形象。此外，生态保护和生物多样性问题，特别是东北虎的保护，也成为重要的话题。尽管政治类内容相对较少，但地方政府的政策和治理仍然在构建东北形象中发挥了支撑作用。通过这些报道，China Daily在塑造东北地区形象时，不仅展示了其经济、文化与生态的多样性，还凸显了该地区在现代化进程中的挑战与机遇。This paper explores the ways in which Northeast China’s regional image is constructed and the discourse strategies behind it through an analysis of China Daily reports. By analyzing keyword statistics and categorization, the study reveals that Northeast China is depicted in media coverage through multiple dimensions, including economic revitalization, social development, cultural characteristics, ecological protection, and local government policies. Economic-related reports occupy a significant portion, focusing on industrial transformation, infrastructure development, and agricultural grain production, highlighting Northeast China’s key role in the national revitalization strategy. Social reports focus on livelihood issues, pandemic control, and local governance, reflecting the challenges and responses in areas such as social welfare and public health. Cultural and tourism reports portray Northeast China as a winter tourism destination by emphasizing its snow resources and natural landscapes. Moreover, ecological protection and biodiversity issues, especially the protection of the Northeast Tiger, are also important topics. Although political coverage is relatively sparse, local government policies and governance play a supporting role in constructing the image of Northeast China. Through these reports, China Daily constructs a multifaceted image of Northeast China, showcasing its economic, cultural, and ecological diversity while highlighting the challenges and opportunities it faces in the modernization process.