Haijian Dan*, Zay Nyein Htun, Bawan Omer Mohammed Mohammed
School of Foreign Languages, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China.
*Corresponding author: Haijian Dan
Abstract
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a key part of China’s plan for global growth. Along with this, the “Community of Shared Future for Mankind” (CSFM) strategic discourse intends to spread China’s normative vision through-out the world. This study seeks to analyze the depiction of CSFM in Myanmar’s media coverage of the BRI, aiming to indicate the media’s role in influencing China–Myanmar relations. The study utilizes a qualitative methodology that integrates Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine 120 selected articles published from 2021 to 2025 in four prominent newspapers in Myanmar. The results indicate that state-owned media primarily depict the BRI through narratives of development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and bilateral friendship, closely mirroring Chinese strategic discourse. In contrast, privately owned media present a broader range of perspectives, encompassing geopolitical caution and sover-eignty issues. The research provides significant implications for fostering media pluralism, enhancing openness in foreign investment communication, and facilitating informed public discourse within Myanmar’s dynamic media ecosystem.
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How to cite this paper
Convergence and Divergence: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Belt and Road Initiative on Myanmar Media
How to cite this paper: Haijian Dan, Zay Nyein Htun, Bawan Omer Mohammed Mohammed. (2025). Convergence and Divergence: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Belt and Road Initiative on Myanmar Media. Translation and Foreign Language Learning, 1(2), 325-329.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.09.018