My point has been about what to do about it. Complaining means pointing out the obvious but doing nothing about it, as if pointing it out would make the western media change their opinion voluntarily. Don't you think that they know they have been unfairly hostile towards China, or do you think they are simply ignorant? Do you think pointing it out or educating them will make them change their ways? Of course not. They are doing it intentionally because what they do serves their purposes. What they do sells newspapers and gets more hits on their websites. Unless China does something about it, they will keep doing the same thing.
This is where China should think hard. How to turn things around. How to make it more profitable for the western media to report news about China more fairly.
This is why I argued that we needed to identify the motivation behind the whole thing. If it is prejudice against China, a new strategy has to be formed to tackle that. How to change the perception of China in the eyes of the west, of ordinary westerners? That's why I said China should think about rebranding itself. Whose fault is it when the west knows so little of China and the Chinese people? Do you think the westerners should beg the Chinese to teach them more about China? Or do you think the Chinese should take the initiative on this?
Of course, racism is involved. Again, what to do about it. Do you think those westerners with racist opinions would voluntarily give up their superiority view of the world, or do you think China should make them?
Once China strikes a positive image in the eyes of westerners, it then becomes more profitable for the western media to report Chinese news in a more fair manner. And this is not 1980's and 90's when a country's own media dominated the country. So China should not wait for the western media to decide to change itself. China now has the full capability to influence opinions of people all around the world. The question is how to do it.
If the west simply hates China with a passion and won't sit down until the entire Chinese civilization is wiped out, then a different strategy will be needed. Of course I don't think we have to come to that.
When one's view is motivated by racism or other strong ideological reasons, trying to change it is usually a lost cause. The other party has integrated his prejudice into a core part of his personal identity. Any question of it would most likely be considered as an insult. The discussion would be fruitless, never mind changing its view. The old adage, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Pointing out biased reporting in western media is useful to reach some with an open-mind and those with a healthy scepticism of any media reporting. From my personal experience, there are many in the west that are more willing to find out truths/facts about China than mindlessly accepting what is reported in the mainstream media. Other than the usual trolls, I would say many SDF members are very well open-minded about China. Hopefully, they too would point out biased reporting to their compatriots down the line. It is easier to listen to an opposing view from a member of one's own community.
In essence, it's not difficult to change negative perception of China when western audiences are willing to listen and when they are willing to find out about China for themselves through traveling. Willingness to keep an open mind is most critical part.
As for making it more profitable for the western media to change its narrative on China, this becomes a trickier question. Acquiring western media outright is a nonstarter because it would never gain the necessary federal foreign investment approval.
Since it is reasonable to argue that media in both China and the west are well integrated into the existing political structure, Chinese media being state controlled, private owners of US media being large contributors to PACs, economical incentives alone would never convince western media to change its narrative when they serve a political purpose. In essence, biased reporting of China is useful in creating an unfavorable view of the west's biggest potential rival in the minds of its own citizens.
Adjusting to China's rise would entail a reduction of certain rights/controls that have taken for granted by the western elites. For them it's much easier to demonize rivals than making painful concessions. This is understandable and nothing new as most establishments want to maintain the status quo.
