The key focus regarding Chinese investment were the investments in the Czech Republic. Compared to other analyzed issues, the debate surrounding Chinese investment was more tailored to the local context, limiting the international context to occasional mentions of the Belt and Road Initiative or situation in other countries.

The investments (or lack thereof) were often mentioned as contextual background to Czech-China relations, including, for example, news on President Zeman’s visits to China, especially the debate on his potential visit to attend the 17+1 summit in spring 2020. Also, other crucial themes were linked to Miloš Zeman, such as sports diplomacy due to famous Czech athletes, Jaromír Jágr and Pavel Nedvěd, accompanying the President to China.

Similar to the findings from the analysis of Czech mainstream media, operations of Chinese company CEFC, whose shares were acquired by the Chinese state company CITIC in 2018 due to CEFC’s bankruptcy, dominated the discourse.

Undoubtedly, the key themes related to Hong Kong were the protests against the extradition law, including the introduction of the new National Security Law. Alternative media also focused on protest-related violence and comparison of police and protesters’ behavior. The articles often quoted proclamations of the Chinese political representatives and endeavored to explain the position of China on the situation in Hong Kong. Hence, “one country, two systems” and interference in internal Chinese affairs were among the most frequent topics representing the contextual background to the protests. The alternative media also extensively covered, again, the tensions between the US and China, including the US Human Rights and Democracy Act, altering the legal status of Hong Kong, and imposing of reciprocal sanctions.

In terms of topic selection, Uyghurs, human rights, concentration camps, as well as Czech-Chinese relations played the most important role, but a number of others, including the “West,” sanctions, EU, US, external interference, or Islam featured prominently, too. Terrorism and geopolitics were also listed among the topics mentioned in relation to the Xinjiang issue, even if less frequently.

The media coverage was particularly dense between June and October 2020, connected to Miloš Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan and subsequent escalation of bilateral relations when the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi threatened Vystrčil would “pay a heavy price” for the trip. Consequently, the media mostly covered Miloš Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan, the One-China Policy in general, and the role of Taiwan in Czech-Chinese relations.

A substantial space was given to domestic debate, geopolitical rivalry between the US and China, activities of the United States in the region with a particular focus on Taiwan, and the Czech foreign policy, including vis-à-vis China and Taiwan, often portrayed as an extension of  US interests.