Media Dynamics Beyond The Borders: A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Threats And Challenges To CPEC In Global Print Media

Abstract

CPEC is one of the most attractive and enriched projects in the history of Pakistan’s economic trajectory. Since its inception, Pakistan has been confronted with economic instability and impediments to financial growth through international-level projects and measures. In this context, CPEC has been a valuable addition to the crumbled and fluctuating economic policy of the country. On the contrary, Pakistan is also confronted with a bordered rivalry with India, which always poses threats and challenges to its development in all aspects. Flooded with all these facts, the CPEC project is also facing several threats and challenges to its very existence and implementation. In this context, the current study is an attempt to identify and address the potential threats and challenges to CPEC. The study is approached through content analysis by opting for a quantitative research design. The four major daily newspapers including the New York Times (USA), India Times (India), China Daily (China), and The Daily Dawn (Pakistan) are selected for content analysis published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021. The data is analyzed through the SPSS version-21 version to derive statistical facts about the issue. The study finds that the perspective of American and Indian newspapers is alarmingly different as compared to the Chinese and Pakistani dailies in terms of threats and challenges. The study recommends regional cooperation and diplomacy, security measures, social and environmental safeguards, financial transparency, and risk management as sources to overcome, control, and reduce the threats and stabilize the project for more effective socio-economic development.