The Atlantic Council published in August 2022 a study titled "Chinese Discourse Power: Aspirations, Realty, and Ambitions in the Digital Domain" by Kenton Thibaut.
China believes that the United States currently dominates the international system, and sees growing Western opposition to China as evidence that the current world order is a threat to the continued security of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
For the CPC, gaining "discourse power" translates into increased geopolitical power by creating consensus around an alternative, China-led international order--one that privileges state sovereignty over civil liberties, and subordinates human rights to state security. China has identified both the digital realm, for example the Digital Silk Road, and the Global South, including Africa, as prime areas of opportunity.
