At the historical juncture of "unprecedented global changes," enhancing the efficacy of China’s international communication and building an indigenous discourse system have emerged as urgent priorities in the social sciences. To address the cognitive fragmentation caused by the surge in publications, traditional qualitative reviews often fail to objectively evaluate the structural patterns of disciplinary evolution. This study analyzes 3,961 CSSCI-indexed journal articles from CNKI (2010–2025) using CiteSpace to conduct a multi-dimensional quantitative analysis of the field. The findings reveal that publication volume has progressed through four distinct stages—exploration, steady growth, adjustment, and rapid acceleration—reaching a historic peak in 2024. Academically, institutions such as the Communication University of China, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Foreign Studies University serve as key hubs, led by a community of prominent scholars, though cross-institutional collaboration requires further enhancement. Knowledge structure analysis indicates a configuration centered on two core nodes, namely "International Communication" and "Foreign Communication." By deconstructing core clusters, this study categorizes the research into four primary blocks: basic concepts, narrative strategies, policy responses, and ultimate goals. The research focus has undergone a paradigmatic leap from an early emphasis on infrastructure to deep autonomous theoretical construction, reflecting a collective effort to dismantle Western discourse hegemony and seek indigenous academic self-awareness. Regarding frontier evolution, keyword burst analysis reveals a logical shift from earlier hotspots like "soft power" and "national image" toward "Chinese civilization," "empathetic communication," and "global governance." This trajectory reflects a transition from defensive publicity toward proactive leadership in communication, shifting from simple information flow to deeper meaning construction. In light of current limitations in bridging macro-micro perspectives and profiling overseas audiences, future research should deepen theoretical originality, reconstruct communication systems through digital intelligence, and pivot toward empathetic communication. Practically, priority should be given to the international translation of core academic concepts and the use of AI to mitigate "cultural discounts." By establishing a collaborative framework involving both official and non-official actors, China can achieve a qualitative leap in global discourse, moving from simply being heard to being truly understood and accepted.
