International Relations in China Daily's Climate Change News: An Approach of Social Network Analysis-informed Critical Discourse Studies

When covering the pressing global issue of climate change, media outlets in various countries tend to construct networked international relations that align with their national interests. However, few studies have examined how international relations are portrayed in climate change coverage. Drawing on social network analysis-informed critical discourse studies (SNA-informed CDS), this study investigates the evolution of international relations in China Daily's news reports on climate change (2010-2023). A combined quantitative and qualitative analysis reveals that these reports consistently emphasize the central roles of China, the US, and the EU, while each period constructs a distinctive network. Period 1 (2010-2011) emphasizes a binary division between the developing and developed worlds, portraying China as a key advocate for developing nations. Period 2 (2012-2015) introduces a tripolar representation featuring the US, EU, and a more confident, proactive China in tackling climate change. Period 3 (2016-2023) projects a tense Sino-US relationship, casting the US as a disruptor of the Paris Agreement and China as a defender of the framework, actively seeking EU support to uphold global climate commitments. These discursive shifts reflect China's balancing of leadership ambitions, climate commitments, and national interests in global climate governance.