1 Introduction

A review of 68 achievements in cross-cultural communication research in China from 2019 to 2020 emphasized the importance of research innovation and knowledge production. Through keyword search, three new trends have been extracted: firstly, clarification of key concepts and classic ideas; The second is to define the practical orientation of China's international communication/cross-cultural communication; The third is to explain the basic stance and value orientation of China's international communication/cross-cultural communication. These trends are classified based on the logical and structural consistency of research findings.

2 Key Concepts, Multidisciplinary Characteristics, and Knowledge Traceability of Classic Ideas

Deeply explored the key concepts, multidisciplinary characteristics, and knowledge tracing of classical ideas in cross-cultural communication research. In the 1950s, Edward Hall first proposed the concept of "inter cultural communication", and research in this field continued to deepen, forming four naming traditions based on cultural boundaries. Researchers in 2019-2020 further clarified the relationship between cultural boundaries and cross-cultural communication, exploring the representation of cultural boundaries, such as Professor Zhao Yuezhi's explanation of the ambiguity of the concept of "culture" in "cross-cultural communication". Professor Li Zhi proposed that language writing in international news communication should go beyond the "discourse diagram" community determined by geopolitical culture. Feng Jihai emphasized the construction of cross-cultural relationships that are close to reality in cross-cultural communication practice. Zhao Tingyang explored the reasons and influencing factors of the problem of cultural boundaries, pointing out that the rise of nation states, cultural competition, religious establishment, and ideological advancement are the foundations for the formation of cultural boundaries.

Theoretical imagination of dual perspectives

Explored the new trends in international communication/cross-cultural communication research in China from 2019 to 2020, emphasizing that theoretical imagination should start from cross-cultural practice and focus on the impact of technological changes on social theory. There used to be a disconnect between theory and practice in cross-cultural communication research in China, but in recent years, excellent works combining social theory and historical interpretation have emerged. The research trends include the "technological logic" path, emphasizing the impact of technological changes on international communication infrastructure and concepts, as well as the "technology society" and "technology knowledge" interaction modes, focusing on the interrelationships between technology, society, and knowledge contexts. Researchers such as Liu Ying, Shi Anbin, and Wang Peinan have explored the theoretical and practical transformation of international communication from the perspectives of 5G technology, multimedia, and video transformation. At the same time, the study also focused on the role of the concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind" in reconstructing the global communication order, as well as the new role and direction of Chinese media in global communication. In addition, the study also involves the issue of discourse power in international communication, including discourse implementers, content, objects, platforms, and feedback, as well as establishing communicative discourse power to dissolve discourse hegemony.

4 Mainstream media ecology, key time nodes, and realistic focus on important events

In 2019-2020, China's international communication research focused on media convergence, aiming to address issues in building international communication capabilities. Media convergence is seen as a key factor in enhancing the external communication capabilities of Chinese media, requiring the participation and collaboration of multiple stakeholders. The study emphasizes the importance of orientation, content, communication trends, expressive thinking, and narrative strategies, and advocates for the transformation of thinking and concepts in international communication capacity building. In 2019, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China became a critical moment for research, and the changes in external communication concepts and ideas received attention. China's external communication of ideas has undergone a transformation from one-way propaganda to all-round proactive international communication. In the case study, the "transoceanic dialogue" between Chinese and American news anchors became the focus of discussion, demonstrating China's efforts to gain international discourse power. In 2020, the COVID-19 became the focus of research. Researchers discussed the impact of the epidemic on cross-cultural communication and how to use this period to promote civilized exchanges and mutual learning. The construction of Chinese stories and images is also a major topic of research, and scholars have explored how to use Chinese culture, Chinese solutions, and Chinese wisdom to promote the healthy construction of Chinese stories and images.

5 Research Reflections and Problem Prospects

Significant progress has been made in China's international communication/cross-cultural communication research from 2019 to 2020, reflected in the innovative delineation of key concepts, the deep correlation between the "technology society" and "technology knowledge" construction models, and the theoretical perspective on the new communication ecology and important time point practices. However, there are three main problems with the research: firstly, the proportion of literature on "knowledge tracing" and "theoretical imagination" is low, which exposes insufficient basic research; Secondly, the quality of interdisciplinary research needs to further sink into the critical reflection of knowledge production paths and research traditions; Thirdly, the theoretical consciousness has not fully adapted to the demands of new knowledge production, and there exists a research consciousness of "comparing for the sake of comparison". To address these issues, research should strengthen basic research, attach importance to the study of the history of cross-cultural communication ideas, explore the significance and value of theoretical resources such as cross-cultural psychology and cultural anthropology, and establish a conscious awareness to deeply understand the significance of cross-cultural practice from a multidimensional perspective and dynamic process.