Framing Socialist Core Values in Chinese State Media: Ideological Hierarchies and Shifting Emphases During the U.S.–China Trade War

This article analyses how China's Socialist Core Values (SCVs) are selectively emphasised in state media as part of a broader strategy of ideological management. Through a content analysis of People's Daily , the study identifies underlying ideological hierarchies embedded in the framing of the twelve SCVs. This is the first empirical study to examine the concept of ideological hierarchy in post-communist regimes. The findings reveal a dynamic state-led ideological hierarchy in China and illustrate how ideological priorities shift in response to geopolitical stress.