For several decades, China has been an important trading partner for the Netherlands. However, growing concerns over the Chinese government’s human rights violations and the suspicion of Chinese...Show moreFor several decades, China has been an important trading partner for the Netherlands. However, growing concerns over the Chinese government’s human rights violations and the suspicion of Chinese espionage raises worries among Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Dutch House of Representatives (DHR). On top of that, as early as 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been added to the political agenda of the DHR. This major “discursive event” of COVID-19 can significantly change the discourse on China, impact Sino-Dutch relations, and the way China and the Chinese/Dutch-Chinese population is perceived in The Netherlands. In this study, I will answer the research question: “How is China framed in the plenary debates of the Dutch House of Representatives, and how have these China frames changed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic?”.Show less
Global climate change has emerged as one of the world’s most serious problems, one requiring international cooperation. China, as a large country and big emitter, is vital to such cooperation. It...Show moreGlobal climate change has emerged as one of the world’s most serious problems, one requiring international cooperation. China, as a large country and big emitter, is vital to such cooperation. It is therefore important to understand China’s position regarding climate change and international cooperation. This thesis examined China attitudes and how these are changing by conducting discourse analysis of Xinhua articles published during the 2009 and 2015 United Nations climate conferences. It found China’s attitudes shifted significantly between these two conferences and it became much more willing to cooperate.Show less
