No political culture is more slogan-saturated than China’s. When Xi Jinping stood before the United Nations (U.N.) in 2015 and declared China’s commitment to building a “Community of Shared Future for Mankind,” many Western observers heard a vague soft diplomacy platitude rather than a strategic signal. The slogan, however, functioned as a rhetorical trap, reframing China’s authoritarian model as morally legitimate and future-oriented while portraying liberal democracies as selfish and out of touch with humanity’s collective destiny.
diplomacy
Diplomatic Discourse
Chinese diplomatic communication uses impersonal, institution-aligned speech filled with polite modality to express control and authority subtly. This euphemistic style aligns with cultural preferences for indirectness and relational harmony. Chinese foreign ministers frame diplomatic statements to avoid direct confrontation, using modal verbs to soften demands and maintain persuasive politeness.
French Political Debate Language
Overview of rhetorical devices and indirect communication strategies commonly used in French political debates: