China, Greece and foreign policy discourse: talking culture but meaning business

This paper analyses the foreign policy discourses of Chinese and Greek media towards each other, focusing on economic cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and geopolitical positioning. Chinese media emphasize economic partnerships in transport, energy, and tourism, highlighting mutual benefits. Greek media, in contrast, stress China’s growing global economic role. Cultural diplomacy is central, with China using exchanges to project soft power and Greece seeking to enhance its international image. Geopolitically, China views Greece’s strategic importance through its EU connections, while Greece balances its economic interests with European and transatlantic obligations. Both countries use historical and cultural cooperation to advance their economic goals. Semantic network and sentiment analyses reveal a positive outlook in both discourses, reflecting pragmatic diplomacy that balances economic cooperation and diplomatic flexibility.