France was the first Western European country to recognize the People’s Republic of China during the Cold War. The two countries share a historically significant diplomatic relationship and a long tradition of mutual cultural influence through language teaching, exhibitions, cinema, and international broadcasting. These intertwined histories not only lay the foundation for their current exchange, but also make the France-China comparison a compelling case for examining how nation-states deploy different strategies to build global influence.
This project asks a basic question with far-reaching consequences: how are France and China re-inventing public diplomacy in the era of digital media and AI to shape global debates over technology, governance, and power? Since the mid-2010s, both have invested heavily in digital statecraft and outreach, but with contrasting approaches and styles. French ministries and museums built multilingual social media to showcase heritage, education, and tourism, foregrounding cultural exchange and reputation. China assembled a vast and centralized external communication system—spanning state media, diplomats, cultural institutions, and local governments—which deploys strategic and assertive narratives.
Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) has ascended as the new frontier of geopolitics. China is positioning AI as a pillar of economic and diplomatic strategy, promoting cutting-edge research and technical standards. France has made great strides in AI governance, advancing regulations and ethical norms. Public diplomacy is where these paths meet: Beijing and Paris both seek to persuade global publics about the trustworthiness and legitimacy of their respective approaches to AI. Parallel to their race in innovation is the contestation around narratives and norms.
Against this evolving backdrop, this project presents an in-depth comparative analysis of French and Chinese digital public diplomacy, with a special focus on AI as a contested terrain. It examines at once the two countries’ cooperation and their competition in AI leadership and innovation. Utilizing a set of qualitative and quantitative methods, we will map out the key actors, their messaging, as well as the public reception, both online and offline. The project is intended not only to advance academic scholarship, but also to inform a broad, non-specialist audience.
Our project argues that digital public diplomacy is no longer just about “getting the message out.” It is an arena where nation-states compete to define problems, set rules, and build legitimacy in the eyes of global publics. France and China offer contrasting pathways to the same goal: shaping the global AI infrastructures and standards from technical, legal, and narrative perspectives. By illuminating those pathways through rigorous and accessible research, the project enables the general public to scrutinize claims, assess policy choices, and take part in the conversations that will shape how diplomacy works in the digital age.
PubDiplo 