China final

China’s image in the Egyptian press

Methodology: This study seeks to identify the features and trends of China's image in the Egyptian press by selecting a sample represents three newspapers and monitor what was published about China during a specific time period extends from January 1, 2011 until the end of December 2013 Newspapers, which have been selected, are “Al-Ahram “newspaper as a model for national journalism, "Al-Masry Al-youm" as a model for the independent press, and “Al-Wafd“as a model for partisan newspapers. The selection criteria was based to include the most widely distributed newspapers among Egyptians, and to cover all segments of the public readers including the educated elite readers and ordinary ones.

The study used the content analysis methodology, the most commonly used tool to study an "image" and the public opinion. The study covered all the press materials published in the selected newspapers during the study period by dividing into three directions: 1- The positive direction When the content of the published material reflects positive impression and good image of China, example: China's support for Egypt, enhance and develop the economic relations, cultural and scientific interactions between the two countries, China as a supporter of peace, China is a model of economic development, China's fight against internal corruption, and other.

2- The negative direction When the content reflects negative impression and bad image, example: presence of low quality Chinese goods in the Egyptian market has caused a complaint and a threat to local industries, Chinese companies supporting “Al-Nahda- Renaissance” dam which act as a threat to Egypt's share of Nile water, the entry of goods and materials smuggled illegally into the Egyptian market represents a threat to the national security, China adopts policies which pay towards the conflict, and the existence of practices against human rights, and others.

3- The balanced direction: When the content reflects the positive and negative impressions of China, example: Chinese investment in Africa as a model of economic power, but it was described in a way that reflected the idea of exploitation the wealth of nations, and others.

Findings: A- The size of attention to China and its issues in the Egyptian press: Monitoring and analyzing the published material in the three newspapers detected the intensity of attention to the Chinese affairs. During the study period, 490 press materials between news, reports and opinion pieces were published; more than 90% of it was news.

“Al-Ahram” newspaper came in first place in terms of attention by 44.9%, followed in second place “Al Masry Al Youm” by 35.3%, followed in the third and final “Al-Wafd” newspaper by 19.8%, and this ranking reflects the traditional style of the Egyptian press attention to foreign affairs. National newspapers are more interested in foreign affairs for partisan and independent newspapers that focus more on the internal affairs of Egypt.

Diagrams

On the other hand, Chinese domestic and foreign affairs had received more attention in the three newspapers compared to the issues and topics related to Chinese-Egyptian relations, which is logical because of the intensity of events related to issues of Chinese internal and external affairs compared to the events and interactions between the two countries, but the gap in paying attention to both themes were not great.

Interest in Chinese affairs increasing about 10% of interest in the bilateral relations in both “AlAhram” and” Al-Masry Al-Yom” newspapers, and more than 20% in the “Al-Wafd” newspaper.

In general, the attention to Chinese interior and exterior affairs in the three newspapers reached 56% compared to 44% of the attention in issues related to the Egyptian-Chinese relations.

B. Directions of addressing china’s image: Diagram: The percentage of positive coverage for china in the three newspapers reached 69%, and the percentage of balanced coverage that is dominated by positive side is 3% and thus the ratio of China’s positive coverage becomes about 72% compared to 28% of negative coverage. The study revealed that the positive image of China is higher than the negative one in each newspaper separately, the percentage of positive approach in Al-Ahram newspaper was 65.9% versus 31.8% for the negative one, in “Al Masry Al Youm” 68.6% versus 26%, and in the Al-Wafd 77.3% compared to 20% and the missing percentage is always for the balanced picture.

C - Addressed Issues and the image which was formed through: Addressed issues by “Al-Ahram” and “Al Masry Al Youm” and “Al-Wafd” during the study period were divided into two levels; Firstly, the level that covers the Egyptian- Chinese relations and interactions politically, economically, culturally, scientifically, and militarily. Secondly the level that covers Chinese internal and external affairs and it’s as below:

1- Bilateral relations and political interactions: Bilateral relations and political interactions: the three papers focused during the study period on the interactions and events that took place at the political level between the two countries, for example: Visits of Chinese officials to Cairo, positive statements issued by the Foreign Ministry of China and the Chinese Ambassador in Cairo, the visit of the former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to China August 1st 2012, visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy to China in December 2013, visit of the Egyptian public diplomacy delegation to China in December 2012, and other events. While dealing with these events the newspapers highlighted China as a supportive and friendly country of Egypt and its people aspirations after two revolutions, but in the political interactions frame some reports showed China as a state acting against Egyptian interests, precisely the Chinese companies working in "Al Nahda- the Renaissance" Dam , this issue pushed the Egyptian experts and analysts to criticize the Chinese companies trends, they also stressed that China is able to induce these companies to avoid investing in the "Al Nahda- the Renaissance" dam.

2- Interactions and relationships on the economic level: Reports published in the three newspapers during the study period showed, two contradictory images for China regarding its relations and economic interactions with Egypt, China was shown in the first image as an economically strong state seeking to increase its investments and economic cooperation projects in Egypt, and to strengthen and develop its economic relations with Egypt. This

emerged in reports that pointed to economical delegations that exchanged visits between the two countries and the Egyptian tourism companies’ discussion to increase the number of tourists from China, and the governments of the two countries discussing ways to empower and strengthen agreements of cooperation to increase the Chinese investments in Egypt. On the other hand some press reports showed China's negative image which was built upon two main themes: The first: one of the most important aspects that caused deformation to the image of China in Egypt especially in 2013, and it’s all about the heavily published news reports about the confiscation of the Egyptian authorities to contraband Chinese goods shipments was on its way to enter Egyptian territory through the ports of Port Said and Suez and Alexandria, and these shipments varied to include attempts to smuggle firecrackers and fireworks, fake military uniforms, carcinogenic materials and commodities, models and graphics maps of Egypt does not include Halayib and Shalateen area , firearms and forged documents for visas to Libya, the press coverage for this issue has shown China in a very negative form, as the state that represents a threat to Egypt, especially in light of the security conditions witnessed recently.

The second: and it's about the reports and stories published by the three newspapers about the low-quality Chinese goods, which does not meet the minimum required specifications and standards, regarding to electrical devices or mobile phones or other. This is in addition to the concentration of some of the reports on the idea that some poor quality Chinese products are sold at cheap prices and this threaten local Egyptian industries and crafts, such as leather shoes, furniture, and in the context of Chinese low-quality goods the Egyptian press highlight that some strange commodities incompatible with morals and ethics of the Egyptians like "sex toys" began to find their way to the Egyptian market.

3- Interactions and relationships on the cultural and scientific level : During the study period, the three newspapers were keen to publish reports and opinion articles about the events and interactions in link with cultural and scientific relations between the two countries, Especially participation of Chinese teams in the shows of the opera House , cultural and informational events held by the Chinese Embassy in Cairo, scientific exchange programs and agreements between Egyptian and Chinese universities , opening the headquarters of "China- Arabic broadcasting" in Cairo , signing a protocol between the Egyptian Television and the Chinese to broadcast Chinese series translated into Arabic, the visit of a delegation of Egyptian journalists to China, and other.

Using the soft power has contributed to enhance and promote a positive image of China, noted that paying attention to the cultural and scientific relations in the three newspapers, ranks third after the economy and politics which rank as the first and the second respectively.

4- Chinese internal affairs and Issues: The three papers focused during the study period on many issues and interactions within China, they were as the following: Domestic policies: the three newspapers showed a number of important developments that happened in the Chinese policies, which reflected a positive image of China, including the Chinese Communist Party elections, the campaign pursued by the Chinese government to combat corruption, the change of the "one-child policy" and others, but at the same time the three newspapers showed a negative image while talking about the human rights in China, and the actions taken by the authorities to tighten control and restrict freedoms on the web, and the issue of the blind human rights activist, who took refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and caused an troubles in China-US relations, in addition to what the newspapers show as persecution of the Muslim minority in "Uighurs" region The negative coverage for these issues showed China as a state suffering internal troubles related to democracy and freedoms, is noteworthy that the coverage of the international media especially American and British newspapers, "New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Foreign Policy magazine " on these issues and themes, which were conveyed by Egyptian newspapers contributed in consolidating the negative Image of china.

Chinese economic affairs: the positive image overwhelmed on this aspect in the three newspapers, as China is a major economic giant, and the news conveyed by the Egyptian press for the international media especially the Wall Street Journal contributed to enhance the image of venerable Chinese economy, despite some reports about declining foreign investment in China and continuous slowdown in growth. but the positive coverage about the trade deficit between China and many countries in favor of China, emphasized the strength of China's economy.

Chinese foreign policy: it has received the highest attention of Egyptian newspapers compared to the internal affairs and policies of China, but the handling reflected contradictory image of China , as in the case of internal affairs, this emerged in two levels: First level: a positive image of China as a strong state supports peace in the world, especially in the conflict between North and South Korea through its repeated call to the parties of the need to adopt peaceful means to solve problems, also as a supporter of the rights of the Palestinian people and peace in the Middle East.

Second level: a negative image appeared clearly in the three newspapers during the study period where China appeared as a cause of tension and conflict in its region due to the coverage of newspapers to the Islands crisis between China and Japan its resulted disturbances, as well as the competition for power between China and the United States where the first attempts to spy using "electronic war", as Egyptian newspapers convey in this issue from the international press.

The most aspect where china’s image emerged negatively in the Egyptian press addressing of China's foreign policy towards Africa, which has been portrayed as seeking to exploit the resources of the countries of the continent and its peoples , and that its economic policies have contributed to increase tension between north and south Sudan, and the same thing for China's foreign policy towards the Syrian crisis and the Chinese government's support for the regime of “Bashar al-Assad”, which appeared as a support of strong state to a dictatorial regime fighting against his own people 5- Technological progress of China's military: The positive image overwhelmed on this aspect, reports published by Egyptian newspapers focused on the technological progress of China in the field of satellites launching, China's ability to cope with America in the Electro-technical war, competing with international companies in the fields of technology and various industries, as well as the launch of China's launch of the first military aircraft carrier.

Conclusion The most prominent issues that contributed in the publication of negative image of China has been addressed in the three newspapers about the seizure of the Egyptian authorities to large amounts of smuggled goods from China into the country illegally, and that includes materials threaten Egypt's national security, such as fireworks and imitated military uniforms, and maps with inaccurate demarcation to the Egyptian border and others.

On the economic side, the issue of low-quality Chinese goods in the Egyptian market helps in negative coverage about China in Egyptian newspapers.

Many of the negative coverage about Chinese domestic issues especially the issues related to democracy, is borne by Egyptian newspapers from Western media, especially the "New York Times - Wall Street - and Foreign Policy magazine.”

Recommendations It seems clearly from the content analysis of what is published by the Egyptian press about China that Chinese diplomacy has not done enough to explain the Chinese point of view, or to introduce China's economic model. Therefore it is important for China to attach importance to publish opinion articles written by Chinese public figures and Chinese officials explaining the different dimensions of certain issues from the Chinese perspective.