Perceptions of China in the Age of COVID-19: Findings from Pakistan's Media Spheres

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a test for China's soft power, drawing diverse reactions from its friends and foes. This article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on China's image, delving specifically into sentiments within one of the most China-friendly nations in the world, Pakistan. This study conducts a qualitative content analysis of Pakistan's news media and X sphere and investigates sentiments towards China and Chinese vaccines from 2020 to 2021. Media narratives were found to be distinctly more negative towards Chinese vaccines than China in the aftermath of the pandemic. An assessment of dominant media narratives offers possible explanations for the divergence in sentiments, mainly attributing them to “China's support of Pakistan,” “China's domestic containment,” “China's international role,” and “conspiracy theories and misinformation.” This article provides insights into China's vaccine diplomacy, its soft power dynamics, and public sentiment sway within its most amicable partnership in the international arena.