ABSTRACT
While much research has probed into China’s socialist modernisation from either a policy or an international relations perspective, little is known about China’s systematic communication efforts and strategies to facilitate achieving this grand vision. Using ‘The Chinese Dream’ as a case study, this chapter demystifies the ‘strategic mask’ of identity-building led by the Chinese government through a lens of persona-building, a process of creating a human-like, socially accepted face for the leadership. Based on the official discourses and media narratives, it is argued that the government’s multifaceted persona-building has revolved around depicting a human-oriented, capable, and benevolent authority, a responsible and peace-loving global superpower, and an ambitious political leader yet ‘a-man-of-people’ (i.e. President Xi). The orchestrated public relations strategies have somewhat alleviated the principal contradiction between the soaring economy and people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, but also renewed the government’s political legitimacy in the new era.
