‘We’re here to spite our government’ : Intertextuality and comparative representations of TikTok migrants in Chinese and Western news discourse

Du, Jinfeng and Gong, Jiankun and Li, Run and Adnan, Hamedi Mohd (2025) ‘We’re here to spite our government’ : Intertextuality and comparative representations of TikTok migrants in Chinese and Western news discourse. Journalism. ISSN 1464-8849

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Abstract

Drawing on Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and intertextuality, this study examines how Chinese and Western media represent TikTok migrants in response to US digital platform restrictions. Through a comparative analysis of news coverage from Chinese outlets ( China Daily, Xinhua, and Global Times ) and Western outlets ( BBC, CNN, Reuters, and Associated Press) , this study identifies divergent discursive strategies and underlying ideological functions. Chinese media represent TikTok migrants as victimized refugees, welcomed guests, or cultural participants, reinforcing a narrative of inclusivity and cross-cultural engagement. However, Western media depict them as naive digital consumers, censored subjects, or rebellious libertarians, aligning their representation with discourses on digital sovereignty and ideological control. The contrasting portrayals underscore the broader geopolitical tensions between China and the West concerning platform governance and information sovereignty. Our findings contribute to critical media discourse analysis by revealing how news discourse functions as a site of ideological struggle in the context of global platform politics.