Reframing China: Tiktok, Soft Power, and the Battle for Global Narratives

This book explores China’s growing use of digital platforms as instruments of soft power, with a particular focus on the strategic deployment of TikTok in shaping global narratives. At the intersection of international relations, media studies, and Chinese foreign policy, the project offers a timely and empirically grounded investigation into how the People’s Republic of China is leveraging platform infrastructure and algorithmic design to influence foreign audiences, especially those in the West. What makes this project distinctive is its dual focus on theoretical innovation and empirical depth. It advances existing scholarship by reconceptualizing digital platforms not merely as neutral technologies, but as strategic tools of statecraft capable of advancing soft power objectives. Drawing on original cross-platform comparison, it combines content analysis with AI-assisted sentiment analysis to reveal where, how, and why China-related narratives gain traction, particularly among Western audiences.

Dr. Shaoyu Yuan is a scholar of international relations with expertise on foreign policy, soft power, and Sino-U.S. relations. He conducts research and teaches at Rutgers University and New York University. Dr. Yuan is the author of two books and numerous scholarly articles. His work has appeared in academic journals such as International Affairs, The Pacific Review, East Asia, Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia, Humanities and Social Science Communications. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Hill, Al Jazeera, and The Economist. He holds a B.A. from Centre College, an M.S. from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University.