Think Tank

The International Communication Transformation in the Digital Age

2025-11-21   

The Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, approved at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, proposes to "improve the international communication system and mechanism, innovate communication carriers and methods, strengthen the construction of key bases, enhance the international communication capabilities of mainstream media, comprehensively enhance international discourse power, tell the story of China well, and showcase a trustworthy, lovely, and respectable image of China." In the era of digital intelligence, technologies such as big data, algorithm recommendations, and artificial intelligence have reshaped the mode and ecology of information dissemination, and the global communication pattern is undergoing profound adjustments. The generation, flow, and reception of information on a global scale have undergone fundamental changes, and the corresponding communication subject structure, expression logic, and cognitive methods are facing restructuring and updating. In the face of global changes and technological transformations, it is necessary to clearly grasp the trends and directions of the times, deeply understand the systematic changes brought about by the wave of digitization, in order to further enhance international communication efficiency and better present a credible, lovely, and respectable image of China to the world. Updating communication concepts and activating cognitive energy. The changes in the communication pattern of the digital age have triggered the updating of communication concepts. The widespread application of digital and intelligent technologies has shifted the mode of communication from one-way transmission to diverse interaction. The relationship between communicators and audiences is no longer about the transmission and reception of information, but about the co construction, sharing, and resonance of cognition, meaning, and emotion. The dissemination concepts of interaction and symbiosis inject new cognitive momentum into international communication, providing more possibilities for Chinese stories to gain broader resonance and empathy on a global scale. Digital technology reshapes the way of thinking and promotes the renewal of communication concepts. The communication revolution in the era of digital intelligence is not only reflected in technological changes, but also triggers the reshaping of ways of thinking. The penetration of digital intelligence technology into people's daily lives continues to deepen, and human thinking has shifted from linear thinking to interconnected and interactive network thinking. Correspondingly, the logic of information dissemination has shifted from "I speak, you listen" to "co construction and sharing", and the concept of content production has also shifted from "output and reach" to "co creation and resonance". This makes communication activities no longer limited to the transmission of information, but become a mutual stimulation of people's meaning and cognition, promoting the shift of international communication concepts from "one-way output" to "interactive integration", thus opening up new ideas for the innovative development of international communication. Cognitive leap activates communication momentum and enhances international expression efficiency. The reshaping of thinking patterns has brought about a leap in cognitive abilities. Technologies such as user profiling, semantic analysis, and algorithm recommendations make communication more precise, allowing for more detailed insights into audience needs and more effective understanding of cultural differences. With data as the mirror and intelligence as the wing, communication activities have achieved a transformation from "passive response" to "active shaping". The activation of cognitive energy makes the storytelling of Chinese stories more proactive, positive, and confident, and the dissemination of Chinese voices more targeted and persuasive. The influence and appeal of Chinese discourse continue to increase. The communication competition in the era of digital intelligence ultimately boils down to the competition of cognition and thinking. In the face of the complex and ever-changing international public opinion landscape, we should enhance our expressive power by updating our cognition and strengthen our communication power by transforming our thinking. Specifically, it is necessary to make good use of the analytical and insightful functions of digital technology, accurately grasp the expression logic in different cultural contexts, and promote the deep integration of Chinese narrative and world expression. Strengthen the digital literacy and international perspective of communication subjects, and form a communication team that understands technology, is good at expression, and can empathize. With cultural confidence as the foundation and technological innovation as the support, let the dissemination of digital intelligence become a new channel for connecting China and foreign countries, and a new carrier for cultural mutual learning. Only by achieving a leap in cognitive ability and reshaping thinking patterns can we shape a more warm and powerful image of China in the global information flood, allowing the world to better perceive, understand, and identify with China. Reshaping the communication pattern and providing mechanism momentum, the arrival of the digital age has brought about a reshaping of the global communication pattern. The interweaving and overlapping of information flow, public opinion flow, and data flow make the global communication system more diverse and complex, presenting distinct characteristics of open coexistence. The updating of communication elements and the reshaping of communication patterns have changed the morphological characteristics, power structure, and expression logic of communication, providing new mechanism momentum for the improvement of international communication efficiency. Multiple forms of communication coexist, making information flow more flexible. In the era of traditional media, communication activities operate in a centralized mode, with a single flow of information and a fixed transmission path. Entering the era of digital intelligence, everyone has a camera and can live stream anytime and anywhere, constantly enhancing the communication ability of the whole society. The participation of multiple entities such as government, enterprises, media, and users has formed a multi-point symbiotic communication form. The flow, feedback, and stimulation of information among different entities are more flexible and diverse, resulting in a new communication ecology and public opinion pattern. The multi-point symbiotic communication form strengthens the decentralized characteristics of communication activities, shifting international communication from the traditional "center edge" mode to a new "node network" mode, and promoting the transformation of discourse system from unipolar domination to pluralistic coexistence. With the structural changes in communication forms, modes, and ecology, the global information flow mechanism has also undergone disruptive changes, providing communicators with broader expression space and more flexible communication paths. The distribution of power in communication is diverse, and the discourse system is becoming more balanced. With the global network becoming the infrastructure for information dissemination, the overall pattern of international communication is gradually becoming flatter, and the power of communication is no longer concentrated in a few institutions and media, but gradually dispersed towards diversified subjects. The platform algorithm, social relationships, and collective power jointly shape the global public opinion pattern, shifting the empowerment mechanism of international communication from "top-down" to "bottom-up", and moving from linear single voice communication to multi voice network resonance. The decentralization of communication power means that international communication is no longer a one-way narrative expression, but a collaborative discourse involving multiple parties. The diversity of communication elements and the openness of communication structures have promoted the balance of the discourse system, making international communication closer to the native and diverse global context. This diverse and symbiotic communication mechanism helps to break down inherent stereotypes in international communication and achieve cross-cultural understanding and dialogue. The dissemination logic is instantly interconnected, and the feedback mechanism is more efficient. The interactivity of the dissemination process and the immediacy of feedback are significant features of digital communication. Algorithm push, data monitoring, user feedback, and social response together form a real-time updated dynamic information system, with stronger response capabilities for communication subjects and more flexible adjustment space for communication activities. The communication logic of instant internet enables communicators to continuously adjust their expression strategies in dynamic feedback, thereby achieving a transformation from one-way advertising to two-way interaction, and from post evaluation to instant optimization. Based on changes in communication logic, the international communication of the digital age has formed a self-renewal ecological feature: user acceptance is no longer the endpoint of communication, but the starting point of new cognition; The improvement of communication efficiency no longer depends on scale expansion, but on the adaptation of mechanisms and optimization of patterns. Innovative expression methods inject narrative momentum. The power of dissemination comes from content, and the charm of dissemination comes from narrative. In the era of digital intelligence, the types of communication are more diverse and the narrative forms are more abundant, providing a broader space for innovation in expression methods. The essence of content innovation lies in constructing a communication system with greater ideological depth, cultural depth, and emotional warmth through new ways of expression, injecting sustained narrative momentum into international communication. Expand narrative perspective and enhance cultural depth. The narrative innovation in the era of digital intelligence is first manifested in the expansion of narrative perspectives. The iterative updates of information technology constantly break the boundaries of time and space, giving Chinese stories a broader cultural context and more diverse dimensions of expression in the context of global civilization exchange and mutual learning. The formation of cultural thickness not only relies on the richness of content, but also reflects the depth of narrative and the penetrating power of ideas. When the ancient Chinese culture and the new Chinese experience are integrated into the narrative framework of a community with a shared future for mankind, with an inclusive and progressive attitude, constantly demonstrating the continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peace of Chinese civilization, it will enable the Chinese story to be more deeply understood and recognized on a global scale. Innovate narrative methods and optimize communication voice. The digital communication environment presents the characteristics of process and immersion in content expression, and the communication effectiveness is more reflected in the co construction of semantic space and the sharing of emotional experiences. Based on new expression logic, emotional narrative, experiential narrative, and interactive narrative have become new narrative methods. Emotional narrative triggers psychological resonance through sincere emotions, experiential narrative enhances overall perception through immersive participation, and interactive narrative achieves meaning co creation through open dialogue. The innovation of narrative style makes the communication content more diverse and vivid, and also makes the communication voice more approachable and infectious. Therefore, based on different cultural backgrounds and user needs, we should explore expression methods that fit the local context, making the narrative style of the digital age a bridge connecting Chinese and foreign hearts and cultures. Reconstruct discourse paradigms and deepen value transmission. The purpose of innovative expression is to convey value. The key to whether a country's culture can be understood and accepted by the world lies in whether its values can resonate with the common concerns of humanity. The expression of values in international communication cannot be a preachy interpretation, but a natural display of internal logic in the narrative process. Only by reconstructing the discourse paradigm and telling the story of China in the era of digital intelligence, can we transform the cultural heritage and spirit of the times contained in Chinese ideas, wisdom, and solutions into universally understandable and recognizable value discourses, and showcase China's cultural richness and intellectual sharpness in the global dialogue of civilizations. Reorganize communication relationships and unleash emotional momentum. In the era of digital intelligence, the connotation of communication has expanded from "technological logic" to "relational logic", and the focus of communication has shifted from "reaching the audience" to "connecting people's hearts". In this process, emotional resonance becomes an important link for cross-cultural communication, and cultural consensus becomes the internal support for international communication. The restructuring of communication relationships has shifted the focus of international communication from information exchange to people to people communication, injecting emotional momentum into the improvement of communication efficiency. The relationship of communication has shifted from the dichotomy of subject and object to symbiosis and mutual trust. In the traditional communication pattern, there is often a binary relationship between communicators and audiences, characterized by dominance and passivity, output and reception. In the environment of digital communication, this relationship is gradually being broken. Different types of communication entities participate in the generation and dissemination of information through social media, short video platforms, virtual communities, and other channels, achieving role exchange and cognitive shaping in interaction, building an interconnected communication community, and making mutual trust an important psychological foundation for the sustainable development of international communication. Mutual trust does not naturally form, but gradually accumulates through continuous dialogue and communication. Only in international relations of equality, mutual benefit, and mutual respect can a symbiotic and trusting communication relationship be formed, and cross-cultural understanding and recognition can truly be achieved. Strengthen emotional communication and promote cultural identity. The effectiveness of communication often depends on whether it can resonate emotionally. The digital communication environment has strengthened the communication role of emotions in diverse global contexts, and emotional communication has become an important way of international communication. Through emotional expression, image shaping, and humanistic care in narrative, the audience can feel, understand, and identify with China through emotional experiences. Touching people with emotions is not just about resorting to appeals

Edit:Luoyu Responsible editor:Wang Xiaojing

Source:GMW.cn

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