A Comparative Study of Crisis Communication Discourse Between Chinese and American Companies under the Tariff War—A Case Study of Apple and Huawei

Abstract

Against the deepening process of globalization, the United States launched global tariff wars and intensified its suppression of China’s development. Trade disputes and tariff frictions between the two sides persisted from 2018 to 2025. Under such circumstance, policy-driven external crises have become a key research context for corporate crisis communication discourse. This study conducts a comparative analysis of Apple and Huawei based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model. Since neither company issued official statements during the 2025 trade conflicts, this paper just analysis the text released in the initial phase of the tariff war from 2018 to 2020. The paper examines their crisis communication discourses. The research findings indicate that Huawei adopted a clear and confrontational discourse strategy, constructing an identification of "survival and development". Through emotional mobilization, historical narration and collective identity rhetoric, it linked corporate prospects to national industrial security. In contrast, Apple maintained a neutral, restrained and depoliticized stance and established an identification of "efficiency and win-win cooperation". It upheld shared interests via rational elaboration, interest balancing and data expression. The difference between the two companies stems from ownership nature, supply chain structure, market reliance and political and economic contexts. This research broadens the application of Critical Discourse Analysis in studies on crisis communication discourse triggered by policy-driven external crises, and provides references on discourse strategies for both multinational corporations and local enterprises to deal with international political risks.