Exploiting New Public Diplomacy to Sell Racism: Chinese Representation of Africans in China's Social Media Space

ABSTRACT China's reentry into Africa in the late 1990s and early 2000s coincided with the rise of new public diplomacy, leading to increased African‐related content and accessibility in China's cyberspace. Thus, this study explores the nature of African‐related content in China's cyberspace and social media to explain how the Chinese public perceives Africans and constructs its image of reality about Africa. The study undertook a cybernography (ethnography over the Internet) and a systematic content analysis of 716 African‐related videos purposively selected from two Chinese social media applications—Douyin and Youku. It finds that Chinese non‐state actors in Africa have exploited new public diplomacy to make large volumes of distorted African‐related videos available in China's cyberspace. The analysis finds that this exploitation—sometimes with indirect passive government and state institutions endorsement—has constructed and reinforced stereotypical and discriminatory images of Africans in China. I base the theoretical argument on the new public diplomacy framework. Related Articles Ameyaw‐Brobbey, Thomas. 2024. “The Media in China–Africa Public Relations: Assessing China’s Attractiveness beyond Economic Development Assistance.” Politics & Policy 52(3): 551‐572. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12596 . Huang, Xiurong, & Nnamdi C. Nduneseokwu. 2026. “Navigating the U.S.‐China Rivalry: African Leaders’ Perspectives on China’s Non‐Western Economic Engagement in Africa.” Politics & Policy 54(1): e70113. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.70113 . Otele, Oscar M., & Winnie V. Mitullah. 2025. “The Institutional Dynamics of International Development Cooperation and China’s Aid in Africa.” Politics & Policy 53(1): e70015. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.70015 .