Critical Discourse Analysis of China in G7 Joint Communique: A Proximization Theory Perspective

Abstract

Political discourse contains deep ideological implications and it has become more crucial in the current context to analyze political discourse to reveal political ideologies. In recent years, proximization theory has emerged as a new approach to critical discourse analysis. Based on Proximization theory, this study explores the ideological messages conveyed by three US presidents regarding China in the G7 joint communique. By analyzing the joint communique issued during the terms of Obama, Trump, and Biden, this study reveals a significant shift in the US government’s positioning towards China: from a "partner" during the Obama era to a "competitor" during the Trump and Biden eras. The critical discourse analysis based on Proximization theory reveals the evolution of the US government's attitudes towards China and exposes the ideological factors behind it.