This guest lecture looks behind the scenes of Chinese foreign policy through an unexpected source: the travel tips Chinese citizens read before going abroad. China’s grand narrative—“a community with a shared future for mankind”—now anchors its foreign policy, but what does it mean, and who belongs to this “community”? Using original research on the consular “Know Your Destination” pages for 195 countries, we show how low‑key texts quietly answer big questions: Who are the “others,” how should Chinese citizens interact with them, and what does a “shared future” look like in practice?
Instead of focusing on famous speeches, we look at what mid‑level bureaucrats tell ordinary travellers: which peoples are “warm and hospitable”, who is “introverted”, who “loves beer”, what counts as polite or rude, how close you should stand, what colours to avoid, and what compliments people supposedly like. These bite‑sized descriptions are daily and friendly tips, but they also shape expectations, stereotypes, and invisible hierarchies between “us” and “them”.
We show how everyday consular texts translate abstract strategic narratives into concrete advice for millions. We map Chinese portrayals of personalities, behaviors, and social norms across countries, revealing how a vague ideal of “shared humanity” can reproduce subtle hierarchies of culture, modernity, and civility. Whether you follow China, study global communication, or just notice how power hides in ordinary language—and how the Chinese government describes others—this work will change how you read “practical” travel information.
Vincent F. MO is a postdoctoral research fellow at Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (Institute for Human Sciences), and he received his PhD in International Relations from Central European University in 2025. His research interests are IR theories, EU-China relations, strategic narratives, political communication, and conceptual analysis of Chinese IR.
Jiawei Tang is a PhD candidate at Central European University. He received his MA degrees from LSE and Central European University. His research interests are US-China diplomacy, strategic narratives, everyday security, and EU-China relations.
For more information, please refer to the attached PDF
- DATE: Thursday, April 30, 2026
- TIME: 16:45-18:15
- LOCATION:SIN 2, Department for East Asian Studies/Chinese Studies, Altes AKH, Campus, Spitalgasse 2, Yard 2, Entrance 2.3
