Unraveling image construction by modality: Corpus-based diachronic insights into the reports to the Party Congress of China

Recent years have witnessed a “discursive turn” in image construction studies. This article explores the linguistic features of image construction. We provide a corpus-based diachronic study of the distribution of modality in The Reports to the 16th to 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and unravel the role of the modal verbs in conceptualizing China’s images in The Reports. To analyze the national image, we need to understand how the various elements in The Reports, i.e., actors, actions, and situations, are not only depicted but also intricately interconnected in terms of volition, obligation, and prediction. The diverse national image profiles can be discerned through the lens of how the actors perceive the situations in relation to what is deemed desirable, committed, possible, important, and expected in the context of The Reports. The study finds that The Reports, based on the frequency, value, category and translation of the modal verbs, can project different image profiles of the nation, such as a reliable planner, a committed and powerful leader, and an active participant showing respect for others.