The concept of “strategic partnership” in the digital media discourse of Russia and China: a comparative discursive analysis

a comparative discursive analysis of the representation of the concept of “strategic partnership” in the digital media discourse of Russia and China was conducted. The study revealed significant nation-specific patterns in the construction of this political concept. Significant differences in lexical and semantic content were established: Russian discourse relies on terms of geopolitical stability and architectural metaphors, while Chinese discourse relies on doctrinal idioms and organic metaphors of development. A divergence in thematic priorities and actors was revealed. The evaluative tone of Russian discourse combines optimism with pragmatic reflection, while Chinese discourse is characterized by a unified positive modality. The functional use of the concept in Russia includes legitimization of the course and analytics, while in China it includes promotion of official doctrine and image formation. The differences are interpreted through the prism of the characteristics of political systems, media landscapes, and cultural traditions. The study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of discursive construction of international political realities in the digital environment.

the concept of “Strategic Partnership”, digital media discourse, comparative discursive analysis, Russian-Chinese relations, media presentation, national specifics of discourse