“A Decade On, the Journey Continues”: Discourse Analysis of ASEAN Media Representations of the Belt and Road Initiative

The study examines how ASEAN media construct the boundaries of meaning surrounding the BRI and the cognitive framing of China through discursive strategies. By integrating topic modeling with the Discourse-Historical Approach, this study analyzes 243 English-language news reports from Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia. The findings reveal that ASEAN media’s discursive construction of the BRI is characterized by a complex interplay of “developmental opportunity” and “strategic caution”. On one hand, media outlets generally affirm the BRI’s positive role in advancing regional connectivity, infrastructure development and economic cooperation, forming a functional narrative framework centered on “mutual benefit” and “future orientation”. On the other hand, discursive positions vary significantly across countries, shaped by their geopolitical location, foreign policy and domestic contexts. Moreover, major international events significantly influence media agendas, prompting a dynamic shift in reporting focus between cooperative advancement and strategic reflection. The study provides empirical insights into how regional actors use media discourse to respond to international initiatives.