Xi Jinping calls for more 'loveable' image for China in bid to make friends
Xi Jinping told senior Communist Party officials it was important to present an image of a "credible, loveable and respectable China"
China's president has said he wants the country to "expand its circle of friends" by revamping its image.
Xi Jinping told senior Communist Party officials it was important to present an image of a "credible, loveable and respectable China", reports the BBC citing Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua.
It marks a possible shift in China's diplomatic approach, which analysts say has become increasingly antagonistic.
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The comments came amid deteriorating relations with key global powers.
China has faced criticism over human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority group and the crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners, among other issues.
It recently denounced US efforts to further investigate whether Covid-19 came from a Chinese lab, accusing the Americans of "political manipulation and blame shifting".
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.
Xi also said the party's propaganda organisations must make it clear that Beijing wanted "nothing but the Chinese people's happiness and good fortune".
The China Daily was expected to "stay true to its duty of bridging China and the world for greater communication", the newspaper said of itself.
Analysts said Xi's remarks marked a rare admission of Beijing's isolation.
Xi became president of China in 2012, ushering in an era of increased assertiveness and authoritarianism.
The country's diplomats have become increasingly vocal in recent years, deploying sarcasm and aggression against those who challenge its positions.
The strategy has been dubbed "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy - named after patriotic blockbuster movies in which elite Chinese special forces take on American-led mercenaries.
