THE IMAGE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN CHINESE MEDIA AS A FACTOR IN FOREIGN POLICY INTERACTION BETWEEN CHINA AND KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

In the context of the transformation of international relations, the
influence of discursive and perceptual factors on foreign policy formation is growing.
The national image, as a complex of external perceptions, not only reflects a state’s
position in the world as well as determines how its policies are perceived by other
actors of international relations. Media acts as key actor in constructing this image and
promoting foreign policy narratives. This study focuses on the analysis of materials
about Kazakhstan published in People’s Daily, Xinhua Daily Telegraph, and Global
Times from 2013 to 2025. The aim of the research is to identify the role of leading
Chinese media in shaping the image of Kazakhstan amid the deepening strategic
partnership between the two countries and to assess the implications of this process
for bilateral relations. The conducted content and discourse analysis demonstrates
that Chinese media forms a holistic image of Kazakhstan as a stable, predictable, and
strategically significant partner. The main narrative is built around themes of highlevel
interaction, strategic alignment, and concrete achievements in various areas of
cooperation. Such representation not only records the positive dynamics of relations
as well as actively shapes the perception of the Kazakh partner in China, strengthening
public support for cooperation and political trust between the parties. Thus, the study
contributes to the understanding of interconnection between media discourse and foreign policy. The obtained results reveal the mechanism/capacity through that
media representation legitimizes and promotes the bilateral cooperation agenda,
that contributes to a deeper understanding of both the theory of international
communications and the practice of public diplomacy in a specific regional
context.