The authoritarian narrator: China's power projection and its reception in the Gulf

Abstract This article argues that transregional communication mechanisms and the diffusion of narratives are important co-drivers towards autocratization. Offering a look beyond ‘material’ in study global authoritarianism, it makes two conceptual arguments. It shows show authoritarian practices often discursively reinforced. Moreover, demonstrates how their form image management tool for fostering stability. Departing from basic assumption diffusion, is guided by questions: which supremacy used Chinese government context pandemic? And these received, reproduced contested Gulf? Based on qualitative analysis more than 3,000 media outlets (March–May 2020) China Gulf region, strategically promotes regarding its international role, telling stories heroism narratively conjuring new world order. diffused to Iran, Saudi-Arabia, United Arab Emirates Qatar depicts different patterns reception, reproduction contestation.