Diplomatic Bifurcation: China’s Dual Narratives on the Russia–Ukraine War in Global Times

This article analyses China’s Global Times, focusing on bifurcated strategic narratives about the Russia–Ukraine war for domestic and international audiences. Using 675 articles (301 Chinese, 374 English) from 2022–2024, it contrasts the editions to reveal narrative polyvalence serving distinct geopolitical aims. The Chinese edition frames the war as a contest between sovereign equals under US-led Western hegemony, reinforcing anti-imperialist discourse and China’s pursuit of discourse power. The English edition depicts China as a neutral mediator, emphasizing multilateral diplomacy and critiquing US destabilization. This ‘diplomatic bifurcation’ preserves domestic ideological coherence while projecting a constructive international image and adapting narratives to audience sensitivities and global dynamics, challenging assumptions of uniform nationalism in Chinese media.