New study on PRC media influence in Arabic-language environments published by NATO StratCom COE, co-authored by Una Aleksandra Bērziņa Čerenkova (RSU)

Assessing PRC Media Framing and Narratives in Arabic-Language Media Environments

A new study on People’s Republic of China (PRC) media influence in Arabic-language environments, has been recently published by the NATO Strategic Communication Center of Excellence (NATO StratCom COE) and co-authored by Dr. Una Aleksandra Bērziņa Čerenkova from our partner Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU).

The research provides an in-depth analysis, examining how the PRC uses Arabic-language media to influence and shape narratives across Arabic-speaking regions.  It finds that China is most effective in positioning itself as a development partner, particularly through narratives related to infrastructure and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. Efforts to challenge Western influence are only partially successful, while broader leadership narratives show limited impact.

Importantly, the research highlights that local and pan-Arab media do not simply reproduce PRC content, but selectively adopt and often reframe it, embedding it within broader multipolar or anti-Western narratives. Content linked to tangible outcomes, such as infrastructure, logistics, and geopolitical competition, tends to achieve higher visibility, while more abstract ideological narratives resonate less.

As attention to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) grows, the research highlights the continued importance of traditional media channels in shaping public discourse and underlines the limits of top-down narrative projection, emphasising the role of local media ecosystems in adapting and disseminating foreign influence.

Overall, the study concludes that China’s media strategy in Arabic-language environments is pragmatic and results-driven, but limited in its ability to shape broader value-based discourse. These findings have important implications for understanding how foreign narratives are adapted and amplified across regional media ecosystems, extending beyond the Middle East to wider Arabic-speaking audiences.