Which Exerts Greater Influence? Domestic vs. International News Media on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Projects in Myanmar

Previous studies have investigated media influence on public opinion regarding BRI projects in Myanmar but have not clarified whether domestic or international news media exert more influence. This study examines how the domestic and international news media set agendas for BRI projects in Myanmar. Two domestic news media outlets (ELEVEN and The Irrawaddy) with 217 articles (n = 217) yielded 1436 attributes, whereas two international news outlets (Radio Free Asia and Voice of America) with 144 articles (n = 144) produced 1236 attributes. An online survey of 3000 Myanmar residents (n = 3000) was conducted to identify their public agendas. The independent t-test showed that domestic and international media emphasise BRI-related issues differently, while Spearman’s rho indicates that international news media exhibit a stronger correlation with public opinion, suggesting greater influence. The findings revealed that international media focuses on ‘strategic interests’, whereas domestic media emphasises ‘economic development’ from BRI implementation. The findings suggest that the Myanmar government and Chinese investors should focus on specific BRI project issues, including strategic interests, local concerns, economic development, lack of transparency, and lack of coordination when responding to media narratives.