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BEIJING. – Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he wants the country to “expand its circle of friends” by revamping its image.

He told senior Communist Party officials it was important to present an image of a “credible, loveable and respectable China”, according to a report by state-run news agency Xinhua.

It marks a possible shift in China’s diplomatic approach, which analysts say has become increasingly antagonistic.

Xi urged efforts to develop a voice in international discourse that matches with China’s comprehensive national strength and international status, presenting a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of the country.

Xi told officials on Monday it was important for China to tell its story in a positive way.

“It is necessary to make friends, unite and win over the majority, and constantly expand the circle of friends [when it comes to] international public opinion,” he was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

He said the country should be “open and confident, but also modest and humble” in its communication with the world.

The comments came just days after Xi sent a congratulatory message to China Daily on its 40th anniversary, calling on the newspaper to innovate its approach to better communicate with international readers, establish an all-media communication framework and build a high-caliber team, so as to expand its global influence and better introduce China’s development philosophy, path and achievements.

Observers said the timing of the two events shows the importance of improving China’s international communication capacity.

Xi also said the party’s media organisations must make it clear that Beijing wanted “nothing but the Chinese people’s happiness and good fortune”.

While China’s achievements have won acknowledgments globally, there are still people who do not know much about the country, with some even holding misunderstandings or bias about China, observers noted.

“People (in the West) have a lot of ideological and cultural obstacles to grasp the real meaning and essence of the rise of China,” said Zhang Weiwei, a professor at the Shanghai-based Fudan University. – Xinhua.