Rhetorical Legitimation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Evidence from Chinese State Media

ABSTRACTThis research examines throughout the rhetorical efforts of Chinese state media to externally legitimate the AIIB. To that end, it builds an analytical framework of legitimacy comprising four general dimensions—external, institutional, procedural and performance, each of which is substantiated by legitimacy claims specific to the AIIB. Empirically, the article is based on an in-depth content analysis of 730 AIIB-centric articles collected from four state media. The study finds the following: (1) Chinese state media grounded the AIIB’s justificatory rhetoric primarily on institutional legitimacy and external recognition, and more specifically, the bank’s utility, complementarity, and growing membership/support; (2) Chinese state media intensified rhetorical efforts following the UK’s announcement to join and increasing international attention on the new bank. The framework built and conclusions drawn herein can shed some light on China’s rhetorical legitimation of its emerging institution-building ...