Media debates about China's role as a global public goods supplier: frame contestation in reporting on the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine

This study analyzes media frames surrounding the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good. Chinese media emphasized vaccine safety and efficacy, highlighting international benefits. Conversely, US and German media expressed concerns about China's 'vaccine diplomacy,' viewing it as a political threat. Germany displayed a comparatively softer stance, suggesting varied Western responses to China's growing influence. This case reflects great power competition, with the 'China Threat Theory' and 'China Responsibility Theory' shaping international discourse. China's role as a global public goods supplier, in this context, did not enhance its acceptance as a responsible power but rather intensified Western anxieties about its challenge to the liberal international order.

Yan Yi, Huimin Liu, Yifan Yang