Harmony, low-carbon economy, and the construction of a sustainable China image : a multimodal analysis of Chinese carbon-neutral documentaries

Abstract

In recent years, climate sustainability has emerged as a cornerstone of China’s domestic economic strategy and a defining element of its vision for global environmental leadership. Against this backdrop, this study investigates how China constructs its sustainable national image through three carbon-neutral documentaries targeted at a global audience. Drawing upon Martin and White’s (2005) Attitude System and Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) Visual Grammar, the study develops an explicit framework to investigate how a sustainable China image is constructed in Chinese ecological discourse. The analysis reveals that these documentaries portray a sustainable country image through: (1) highlighting the unity of economic development and environmental protection, (2) presenting technological innovations as the ultimate solution for tackling climate change, and (3) emphasising a focus on people-centeredness and public well-being. The findings reveal a “harmosophy” model rooted in Confucian-Daoist thought, emphasising metaphysical, moral, and social harmony. This cultural orientation, combined with economic pragmatism and techno-nationalism, shapes a distinctly Chinese ecological discourse.