Pakistani Print Media’s View of China and Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

The article aims to give an objectively true account of Pakistani newspaper's perspective about China and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It uses mixed method analysis in its reading of editorials from online editions of Pakistan's main English newspapers: The News, The Express Tribune, The Nation and Dawn. Editorials are the unit of analysis of this study as they usually voice the opinion of the editors, the newspapers' lead writers and set the newspapers' agenda. This article makes use of framing theory, in coverage of China and its humongous investment and infrastructure project, the BRI project. It looks at how the editorials present China and the BRI, major themes, and reasons for these editorial choices. It attempts to identify attitudes underlying these editorials. After a reflexive thematic analysis, the article gauges the different newspapers' adherence to universal norms of journalism. The paper examines and assesses the editorials in terms of their slants, coverage, and framing of China and its BRI. The majority of editorials employ frames that are negative or concerned. They reflect national interests. They express an independent opinion from that of the Chinese and Pakistani governments. There is a notable dominance of negative frames in the editorials' coverage of the BRI when it comes to certain themes of economics, management & administration.