Abstract
$1 trillion Belt Road Initiative (BRI)’s China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) component is a dimensional shift in Sino-Pak relations and a conception of shared future being heralded as the game changer for Pakistan as well as for the whole region. As a nodal part of the China’s ambitious Belt & Road Initiative that envisage to improve connectivity on transcontinental scale by connecting China to Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the CPEC has come under attention of international media, policy makers, economists and academicians. This study discusses the framing of CPEC in press of India and China. India being territorial neighbors and China being the investor shares certain interests, reservations and apprehensions related to CPEC. Two English newspapers from China (China Daily & Global Times) and India (Indian Express & The Hindu) were selected and all the news and editorials related to CPEC were analyzed for the period of 2015-2017. Finding reveals that India’s press is covering CPEC more in terms of strategic and conflict perspective rather than infrastructure and connectivity aspects. However, the Chinese press covers CPEC in broader context of BRI and globalization hence connectivity, development, strategic value and economic paybacks are the dominant frames. Moreover, framing of CPEC varies over the time in the press of India and China. Study suggests that policy making is needed to reduce the negative stance and communication differences of international press towards CPEC. Findings imply that Pakistan should made efforts to develop better relations with neighboring countries by engaging them with CPEC as a project of development, mutual benefit and regional integration.
Highlights
The launch of Belt and Road Initiative is a foreign policy initiative of China
Belt Road Initiative (BRI) which is called as “yi dai yi lu” in Chinese language was first proclaimed in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a transnational connectivity plan purposefully being constructed for enhance trade through infrastructure building as well as shared investment among China and more than 68 countries across globe which is going to have serious consequences for the world in perspective of socio-economic development and progress as the countries currently participating in BRI account for more than 30 percent of the global GDP, 62 percent of the world population and 75 percent of energy reserves
The study further aims to assess the changes in stance of India towards China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over time through news framing
Summary
The launch of Belt and Road Initiative is a foreign policy initiative of China. BRI is aimed to enhance connectivity and cooperation on a transcontinental scale and is considered as a major shift in China’s foreign policy as in the words of a former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s, it is important to hide your strength and bide you time (Hart, 2015). The BRI’s road describes the maritime routes running from China to Europe through Southeast Asia and Africa. The belt, on the other hand refers to overland routes stretching through Central Asia to Europe. There are several infrastructure projects involving roads, railways and bridges which is just a single component of BRI as the initiative meant a lot for China to just infrastructure development
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