Analysis of reports from Russian media on political issues in the Asia-Pacific region - using the example of trade relations between China and the USA and disputes in the South China Sea

The subject of the research is the characteristics of how Russian media cover key political issues in the Asia-Pacific region (relations between China and the United States, as well as disputes in the South China Sea); the object of study is the publications of major Russian media (Sputnik, TASS, RIA) made in 2019 to 2024, dedicated to issues of China-U.S. relations, the South China Sea dispute, and other related topics. The author examines in detail the distribution of publication numbers, the dynamics of their frequency, and commonly used lexicon, analyzes the macro characteristics of the content, emotional tone, and trends in agenda-setting and discursive framing, studying their influence on the formation of images of the parties involved in matters related to China-U.S. relations and the South China Sea dispute. Special attention is paid to how Russian media, through information selection and framing, utilize these materials to implement Russia's overall foreign policy strategy and project its soft power. The study employs quantitative content analysis and qualitative discourse analysis methods. Using Python and other specialized tools, text mining was conducted, which allowed for the identification of high-frequency lexical units and their collocational relationships. The main conclusions of the study are : Russian media, through selective disclosure of information and the formation of certain discursive frameworks, portray issues related to China-U.S. relations and the South China Sea dispute in a biased manner, thereby creating a positive strategic image. This coverage not only deeply reflects Russia's aspirations in foreign policy and strategic interests but also reveals the dual role of the media in contemporary international communication—as an instrument for transmitting state policy and as an important means of demonstrating national soft power. The novelty of this research lies in the fact that it applied an integrated approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods for the first time, allowing for a systematic analysis of the agenda-setting and discursive strategies underlying Russian media reports and providing a new theoretical perspective for the field of international communication.

Russian media, Asia-Pacific region, Political issues, China, South China Sea, Public opinion guidance, Agenda setting, Discourse construction, International image, Soft power