Vietnamese Media’s Construction of International Society: A Case Study of the Pandemic Reports of Vietnam News Agency

Abstract

This study examines the construction of the international society in Vietnam News Agency’s (VNA) COVID-19 pandemic reporting. Using the transitivity system of systemic functional linguistics, the study analyzes the headlines of VNA’s reports and investigates the linguistic characteristics behind Vietnamese media's construction of the global community, particularly in relation to China and the United States. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study reveals the distribution of prominent participants, the allocation of roles to countries, and the types of processes used. The findings demonstrate VNA’s focus on Vietnamese administrative departments and individuals, as well as ASEAN and its member countries. The study also uncovers differences in the portrayal of China and the United States, with China often depicted as a patient or environmental element, while the United States is portrayed as an active agent. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s positioning in the international ecological landscape and its diplomatic priorities.