Effect of Culture on History: Xi Jinping’s Report

Effect of Culture on History: Xi Jinping’s Report

Newspapers are the most intuitive way to get information nowadays. People get to know what's going on in their own country, what's happening in other countries through the news. So, people naturally trust what the newspapers reported. However, most of the news is on behalf of a certain opinion which reports based on culture and national perspective, and we will see some emphasis and some bias. Therefore, it makes sense for us to see one thing from different angles. For this paper, I choose different perspectives of five countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Australia, the United States, and China talking about the General Secretary Xi Jinping’s report on 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Though they reported the same event, Xi Jinping’s speech, we can see the how different countries portrayed this event according to their opinion.

In the Bangkok Post, a Thailand newspaper, the focus of the article is on China's international relations. The article begins by stating that “China's economy slowed marginally from 6.9% growth in the first half to 6” (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). The data is based on what Xi reported. This shows that the article agrees with China's rapid economic development. However, the article then comes another question about the issue of China's international relations. “In calling for stronger US-India ties ahead of his first official visit to Delhi this week, the US secretary of state made a comment that irritated Beijing. China's provocations in the disputed South China Sea” (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). The article’s reference the US secretary’s statement that China disrupted the international laws and norms raises the question of China's handling of international relations. And then the article uses “We will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion” represent China’s retort (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). The attitude of the article on this issue is that “Chinese expansion in the disputed waters is clearly visible to anyone who watches the news” (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). This fully reflects the article believes that China’s attitude is tough, but it doesn’t make sense in the south China sea issue. The article then analyzes China’s problems around North Korea and India and touches on some U.S. statements. The article states “Thailand, as always, is carefully playing both sides against the middle” to assess the country’s standpoint (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). The article finally states that “meeting with Mr. Trump has also provided Gen Prayut with some diplomatic room to manoeuvre with the Chinese” to present Thailand’s government policy is affected by the United States (Bangkok Post, October 22, 2017). Throughout the article, it discusses China’s diplomatic relations. The article does not discuss