The struggle and progress: Narrative power in China

The People's Republic of China (PRC) this year marked its 75th anniversary. In contrast to the grand celebrations five years ago, which featured military parades and elaborate festivities, the official observance on October 1 was relatively low-key. The events included routine receptions, such as the Honor Awarding Reception and a gathering to celebrate the PRC's founding, during which President Xi Jinping delivered a brief speech. In this address, he paid tribute to his predecessors, acknowledged the contributions of the people, and expressed gratitude to the diaspora and international friends. He reflected on the achievements of past decades, the lessons learned, and the ongoing challenges.

While Western media often scrutinise such speeches to uncover signs of an uncertain future, delving deeper into narratives that have persisted over time may provide more telling insights into China's trajectory. The analysis of what could be termed narrative power—the state’s ability to shape collective memory and national consciousness through the sustained repetition of key themes over time—can reveal much about China’s historical development and strategic use of language.

Speeches on key occasions, such as Mao Zedong’s opening address to the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, have established a consistent storyline over the PRC's 75-year history. Despite ups and downs, the narrative of national struggle and resilience remains central to Chinese identity as reflected in the anniversary speeches on the founding of PRC given by Chinese leaders over the decades.

A Google search returns records of ten speeches by Chinese leaders to mark anniversaries of the founding of the PRC between the 20th in 1969 and 75th this year. The anniversary speeches reveal shared structures and narratives, though the rhetoric has evolved with early speeches often steeped in revolutionary ideology. For example, all speeches refer to Mao's declaration on October 1, 1949, that "the People's Republic of China is established" or “the Chinese people have stood up”, contained in Mao’s Opening Address at the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. This pivotal moment is framed as the culmination of a relentless fight by the Chinese people against a century of oppression, contrasting sharply with China's historical grandeur.

Several storylines are central in the master narrative.

The heroic struggle ending the 100-year humiliation:

The founding of the PRC is framed as a milestone in a century-long struggle against "three mountains"—imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism. Mao’s speech emphasised the resilience of the Chinese people, captured in the rallying cry, "the Chinese people have stood up!" This narrative has been sustained by his successors and has become the constant official narrative defining the history and the birth of PRC as a result of bloody battles, courage and sacrifices of the people.

This enduring struggle narrative evolves with time, reminding the populace of historical challenges and current adversities, from ideological battles with the West to economic competition. Recent geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions by the US resonate deeply with the historical memory of oppression in the eyes of many Chinese. In politics and international relations, fear is always an effectives device to direct collective action. Memory of the bloody history and fear of externals threats and uncertainties are effective ways to form national consciousness or collective identity.

Collective Achievements:

Mao framed the founding of China as the result of the "People's War of Liberation". Seventy-five years later, Xi Jinping echoed this sentiment in his anniversary speech, emphasising a people-centred approach to modernisation. He reiterated the party's commitment to ensuring that all citizens share in the achievements of reform and development, highlighting the unity of purpose that has characterised China's journey. This storyline created a collective identity of the people as a united force.

A Progressive Cause:

From successfully founding of the PRC to its entry to the World Trade Organisation in the early 2000s and its emergence as the second largest economy, the master narrative in the official documents and speeches consistently highlights the positive momentum of development and progress, reflecting positive energy.

Despite occasional dissenting voices inside China and criticism from in the West, the master narrative has endured. Four factors contribute to this resilience.

First, effective communication mechanisms orchestrated by the one-party system and state-controlled media have facilitated a unified narrative, limiting counter-narratives. While language may evolve, core themes—revolutionary history, national humiliation, and the CPC’s leadership—remain unchanged.

Second, cultural reinforcement is continuous through products such as famous films about the wars of the 1950s and “Warrior Wolf”, which constantly remind people of past achievements and national identity. State-owned media play a crucial role in framing these stories, ensuring they reach a broad audience.

Third, a patriotic educational framework in schools and through national media plays an important role in passing on narrative about history and national identity. One of the core curricula from primary to university in Chinese public schools are “Thoughts and Virtue” or “Thoughts and Politics”, in which the history, state ideology and key policies are described and tested in important exams such as the national college entrance exam. Few students in public schools cannot chant a few patriotic songs such as “Without the Communist Party, There Would be No New China”，“My motherland” and “Ode to Motherland”, which are embedded in school programs and frequently presented in national TV events such as Spring Festival Gala

Fourth, a process of historical adaptation brings the past into the present, as demonstrated in an editorial marking the 75th anniversary, the Global Times, China’s famous state-owned newspaper tabloid. “Standing at this historical point and looking back, we can see how the PRC took a great leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong amid constant struggles and difficulties, proving the feasibility and superiority of the Chinese path to modernisation with eloquent facts,” the Global Times wrote.

However, this does not mean contemporary narratives only borrow lessons from the past. Advancement over time is an important aspect of official rhetoric and propaganda. The adoption of new media platforms and the development of new storylines about challenges and threats can help maintain the narratives of national struggle and identity and ensure their relevance to new generations.

Of course, the master narratives surrounding the birth of the PRC do not go unchallenged. While critiques persist both internally and externally, public sentiment in China largely supports the government. Economic successes over past decades, framed within the context of historical struggles, have reinforced national pride. As China navigates its future, these enduring narratives are likely to continue shaping its national consciousness and political landscape.

Dr. Mei Li is an Education Focused Lecturer in the Discipline of Media and Communication at the University of Sydney. Mei's research inquiries into the Public Diplomacy of state actors seeking to maximize discursive power on the world stage.

Dr Mitchell J. Hobbs is Senior Lecturer in Media and Public Relations at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on public lobbying and issue management strategies; AI, strategic communication, and disinformation campaigns; and dating apps. He has published on the politics of major media outlets, as well as semiotics, advertising, and identity.