Cross-Platform Short-Video Diplomacy: Topic and Sentiment Analysis of China-US Relations on Douyin and TikTok

TL;DR

This study analyzes China-U.S. relations on Douyin and TikTok, revealing key themes and emotional differences, and links regional socioeconomic factors to online sentiment changes towards the U.S.

Contribution

It provides a cross-platform comparison of China-U.S. discourse and links regional socioeconomic data to sentiment analysis, offering new insights into public opinion dynamics.

Findings

Identified key themes like economic and cultural issues

Detected significant emotional differences between countries

Linked regional socioeconomic factors to sentiment changes

Abstract

We examine discussions surrounding China-U.S. relations on the Chinese and American social media platforms \textit{Douyin} and \textit{TikTok}. Both platforms, owned by \textit{ByteDance}, operate under different regulatory and cultural environments, providing a unique perspective for analyzing China-U.S. public discourse. This study analyzed 4,040 videos and 338,209 user comments to assess the public discussions and sentiments on social media regarding China-U.S. relations. Through topic clustering and sentiment analysis, we identified key themes, including economic strength, technological and industrial interdependence, cultural cognition and value pursuits, and responses to global challenges. There are significant emotional differences between China and the US on various themes. Since April 2022, the Chinese government has implemented a new regulation requiring all social media accounts to disclose their provincial-level geolocation information. Utilizing this publicly available data, along with factors such as GDP per capita, minority index, and internet penetration rate, we investigate the changes in sentiment towards the U.S. in mainland China. This study links socioeconomic indicators with online discussions, deeply analyzing how regional and economic factors influence Chinese comments on their views of the US, providing important insights for China-U.S. relationship research and policy making.