Research on the adaptability of news discourse in Belarus and China online publications

Abstract

In recent years, the study of news language has shifted from direct "language research" to "discourse studies", which offer a broader perspective and embody the intersection and integration of disciplines. This study examines the adaptability of news discourse of the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (Belta) and the Chinese newspaper Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), two major online news platforms, and provides a comparative analysis of their textual corpora. It is found that the news discourses of the two countries exhibit significant features in terms of linguistic convergence, divergence, and retention. Belarusian media emphasize "public cooperation" and "the preservation of historical memory". Linguistic convergence reflects social identity and cultural continuity, whereas linguistic divergence primarily articulates their own position by rejecting the historical narratives of "others." At the level of language retention, the core themes of "peace", "unity", and "memory" continue to develop. In contrast, Chinese media tend to use convergent rhetoric and grand narrative political discourse, embodying "the actions of the national people", while simultaneously demonstrating divergence through binary narrative strategies and maintaining a largely formulaic discourse model in their coverage of politics and social governance. The study shows that the discursive adaptability of Chinese and Belarusian media reflects both the communication logic and the narrative strategies embedded in their respective political and cultural contexts, and reveals the multiple functions of news discourse in social mobilization, national identity formation, and international communication. This research not only deepens the understanding of differences in news discourse between China and Belarus but also opens new perspectives for enhancing media literacy and promoting cross‑cultural dialogue and cooperation.