Strategic ambitions and discursive divergences: China’s belt and road initiative in official and academic narratives

Abstract

The present article seeks to analyse and interpret the discursive construction and strategic orientation of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It aims to elucidate how the initiativeis framed within geopolitical, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental, and institutional contexts, while critically assessing the coherence and divergences between China’s official narratives and academic discourses. In total, 4,413 academic articles and eight official BRI documents published between 2015 and 2023 were examined through lexical and content analysis. The findings reveal both convergences and contrasts in how the initiative is strategically framed and interpreted. Whereas official sources emphasise historical legitimacy, cultural diplomacy, and institutionalised  multilateral engagement, the academic literature explicitly addresses practical challenges such as infrastructure-related environmental risks, geopolitical rivalries, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and uneven economic benefits.