From denial to accountability: Co-evolution of government communication and public sentiment in a social-mediated crisis in China

This study examines the interaction and co-evolution of government crisis communication and public sentiment in China, using the 2022 chained woman incident as a case. Analyzing five government statements and 1375 Weibo comments, it integrates quantitative techniques (correlation analyses, log-ratio transformation, and Grey Relational Analysis) with qualitative interpretation. Results show that government strategies shifted from defensive to accommodative, and public sentiment remained largely negative but significantly improved. While early denial and inconsistency undermined credibility, later accountability contributed to sentiment recovery. The study highlights the government – public interplay and the role of public expectation, offering a process-oriented perspective for social-mediated crisis communication.