This study examines the role of interpreting and interpreters in shaping China's global engagement discourse. Using a corpus-based Positive Discourse Analysis (PDA) of 20 years of China's Premier-Meets-the-Press conference data, it analyzes how government interpreters mediate Beijing's international engagement and global involvement discourses. The study finds that interpreters significantly increase the prominence of key concepts related to China's reform and opening-up (ROU) metadiscourse in English, creating a more positive and globally-engaged image of China. The study also reveals a shift in China's discursive strategies over time, moving from a defensive, justificatory approach to a more proactive and assertive stance on the global stage.

Chonglong Gu