REVEALING IDEOLOGY OF CGTN, ANTARA, AND ALJAZEERA IN THE NEWS COVERAGE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CONFLICT THROUGH SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICSNIM.: 21101050072Muhammad Mawahib AlladuniauthorThis research investigates how news coverage of the South China Sea conflict is constructed through language choices by three international media outlets: CGTN (China Global Television Network) from China, Antara News from Indonesia, and Aljazeera from middle-east. By using the Fairclough’s three-dimensional (CDA) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework, this study analyzes how these medias represent national and institutional ideologies and interests in their reporting. The research employs qualitative methods, focusing on the transitivity, mood, theme structures, and vocabularies within selected news articles to reveal the underlying ideological stances. The findings indicate that CGTN predominantly highlights China’s sovereignty claims and legitimizes its actions in the South China Sea through assertive linguistic choices and thematic emphasis. In contrast, Antara News consistently positions Indonesia as a neutral, emphasizing stability and adherence to international law. Meanwhile, Aljazeera adopts a critical stance toward China, framing their actions as aggressive and unlawful, and aligns with liberal-democratic values by highlighting international law and multilateralism. This contrast demonstrates that news discourse is never ideologically neutral; rather, it is shaped by national interests and political agendas. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how language is used as a tool of power and ideology in media discourse and underscores the importance of critical media literacy in interpreting news about international conflicts.401.4 Bahasa dan Komunikasi, Leksikologi2025-08-12UIN SUNAN KALIJAGA YOGYAKARTA;FAKULTAS ADAB DAN ILMU BUDAYAThesis