Perception of Pak-China Relations in International Press: Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This research has been conducted to examine the coverage and slant of the China-Pakistan bilateral relationship in the editorial pages (including Editorials and columns) of four noted newspapers (The New York Times, Times of India, Global Times, and Daily Dawn) in the world. The topic contains media coverage of most of the important developments, such as the "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" and "Military and Strategic Cooperation", during the time period of January 2015 to December 2019. Quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods were applied to examine the selected categories of Sino-Pak relations. Coverage is analyzed in three dimensions, including positive, negative, and neutral, to develop balanced criticism, taking into account both the frequency and the severity of the reporting. The theoretical basis is based on hypotheses taken from the theory of framing. The study concluded that the Pakistani press gave more coverage to the stories related to Sino-Pak relations than other selected newspapers. Moreover, the Pakistani and Chinese press portray positive, while the Indian and American press covers it negatively. The study contributes to understanding the perception of the international press about regional affairs.