Semantic and pragmatic features of the media portrait of China in the Russian media discourse

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the semantic and pragmatic features of the media portrait of China in the Russian media discourse. Through the description of metaphorical images based on zoonymic units, the key characteristics underlying the media portrait of China are interpreted. It is proved that the media portrait of China in the current media space is based on verbal data and creolized texts, while the key zoonymic unit underlying the modeling of this portrait is the dragon, which characterizes China and its political leader as strong, wise and independent subjects capable of making decisions based on the needs of the state and embodying a wide range of cultural values. The close connection of the dragon-China and the bear-Russia at the political and cultural levels, their common interests and a common geopolitical enemy determine the diversity and frequency of both contexts and creolized texts, often based on constructive signs in the interaction of these states. A significant role in modeling media portraits of China is played by the zoonym “panda”, which also very constructively characterizes relations between China and Russia, characterizing their proximity primarily in geopolitical terms. The lower frequency of other zoonymic units with the variability of their implementation in media texts allows us to conclude about a wide range of meanings encoded in the zoonymic metaphor, its essential value in the formation of media portraits of states and political leaders. A comprehensive analysis of the semantic and pragmatic features of the media portrait of China in the Russian media discourse allows us to present the key characteristics of the most significant geopolitical ally for Russia, as well as the specifics of verbal and visual modeling of its portrait for the Russian target audience.