Historical metamorphosis of the ideological framework of "threat" and "resource" in the coverage of immigration by Chinese media (19th–21st centuries)

This article presents a systematic historical-discursive analysis of the evolution of the ideological frames of "threat" and "resource" in the discourse of Chinese state media on immigration throughout four key historical periods (19th-21st centuries). The subject of the study is the evolution of ideological frames in the discourse of Chinese state media (press) on immigration over four historical periods: the late imperial era (Qing dynasty), republican period (Republic of China, 1912–1949), early socialist period (PRC from 1949–1980), and the modern era of reform and globalization (late 20th – early 21st centuries). The analysis examines not only explicit narratives but also deep linguistic structures, rhetorical strategies, and contextual conditions that shape the image of the immigrant and the migration process. A historical-discursive analysis of the dynamics of two fundamental and often contrasting frames used by Chinese media in covering immigration: the "threat" frame (emphasizing risks to security, cultural homogeneity, and social stability) and the "resource" frame (highlighting economic, demographic, or innovative benefits). The scientific novelty of the study lies in the following. First, for the first time within a single study, a systematic comparison of media discourse on immigration is conducted over such a prolonged historical period (19th-21st centuries), allowing for the identification of not only breaks but also continuities in ideological patterns. Second, the work contributes to frame theory by applying it to the long-term ideological process in a non-Western media context, demonstrating how frames adapt to changes in political regimes. Third, the novelty lies not in simply stating the replacement of one frame with another, but in revealing their complex coexistence, mutual supplementation, and contextual switching depending on the target audience and current state priorities. Thus, the article offers a comprehensive model for analyzing how, through the lens of media discourse, the image of the "other" immigrant was constructed and transformed in Chinese public consciousness, reflecting the deep logic of the relationships between the state, the nation, and the global world at different stages of Chinese history.