Studying the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI):  Environmental Misinformation in English-Language Online News Discourse of China

Minos Athanasios KARYOTAKIS

Abstract

This paper broadens our understanding of environmental politics associated with the BRI in English-language Chinese Discourse. Through the use of ideological discourse analysis (IDA) of more than 300 news stories of BRI from three influential news outlets, China Daily, Global Times, and Xinhua News, collected via the keyword “BRI and Misinformation,” the paper investigates how these news stories support polarized ideological constructions, such as positive representation of the ingroup versus the outgroup (us versus them), dramatizations, and fallacies to create a security threat. Under the umbrella of Securitization Theory (ST), the results shed light on stories related to the BRI, its environmental problems, and their ideological constructions, which affect global politics and public diplomacy by constructing an existential threat. They demonstrate that these news stories can lead to a polarized reality that primarily highlights BRI’s political characteristics and management, rather than its environmental impact and influence on global governance, thereby affecting China’s public diplomacy.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 2 Dec 2025
Event	CSAA 19th Biennial Conference: China Within and Beyond: Perspectives on Change and Continuity - University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 1 Dec 2025 → 3 Dec 2025 https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/04/csaa-biennial-conference-2025/ (Conference website) https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/11/csaa-2025-conference-program/ (Conference programme)

Conference

Conference	CSAA 19th Biennial Conference
Abbreviated title	2025 CSAA Conference
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Melbourne
Period	1/12/25 → 3/12/25
Internet address	https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/04/csaa-biennial-conference-2025/ (Conference website) https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/11/csaa-2025-conference-program/ (Conference programme)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action

Cite this

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title = "Studying the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Environmental Misinformation in English-Language Online News Discourse of China",

abstract = "This paper broadens our understanding of environmental politics associated with the BRI in English-language Chinese Discourse. Through the use of ideological discourse analysis (IDA) of more than 300 news stories of BRI from three influential news outlets, China Daily, Global Times, and Xinhua News, collected via the keyword “BRI and Misinformation,” the paper investigates how these news stories support polarized ideological constructions, such as positive representation of the ingroup versus the outgroup (us versus them), dramatizations, and fallacies to create a security threat. Under the umbrella of Securitization Theory (ST), the results shed light on stories related to the BRI, its environmental problems, and their ideological constructions, which affect global politics and public diplomacy by constructing an existential threat. They demonstrate that these news stories can lead to a polarized reality that primarily highlights BRI{\textquoteright}s political characteristics and management, rather than its environmental impact and influence on global governance, thereby affecting China{\textquoteright}s public diplomacy.",

author = "KARYOTAKIS, \{Minos Athanasios\}",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "2",

language = "English",

note = "CSAA 19th Biennial Conference : China Within and Beyond: Perspectives on Change and Continuity, 2025 CSAA Conference ; Conference date: 01-12-2025 Through 03-12-2025",

url = "https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/04/csaa-biennial-conference-2025/, https://www.csaa.org.au/2025/11/csaa-2025-conference-program/",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Studying the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

T2 - CSAA 19th Biennial Conference

AU - KARYOTAKIS, Minos Athanasios

PY - 2025/12/2

Y1 - 2025/12/2

N2 - This paper broadens our understanding of environmental politics associated with the BRI in English-language Chinese Discourse. Through the use of ideological discourse analysis (IDA) of more than 300 news stories of BRI from three influential news outlets, China Daily, Global Times, and Xinhua News, collected via the keyword “BRI and Misinformation,” the paper investigates how these news stories support polarized ideological constructions, such as positive representation of the ingroup versus the outgroup (us versus them), dramatizations, and fallacies to create a security threat. Under the umbrella of Securitization Theory (ST), the results shed light on stories related to the BRI, its environmental problems, and their ideological constructions, which affect global politics and public diplomacy by constructing an existential threat. They demonstrate that these news stories can lead to a polarized reality that primarily highlights BRI’s political characteristics and management, rather than its environmental impact and influence on global governance, thereby affecting China’s public diplomacy.

AB - This paper broadens our understanding of environmental politics associated with the BRI in English-language Chinese Discourse. Through the use of ideological discourse analysis (IDA) of more than 300 news stories of BRI from three influential news outlets, China Daily, Global Times, and Xinhua News, collected via the keyword “BRI and Misinformation,” the paper investigates how these news stories support polarized ideological constructions, such as positive representation of the ingroup versus the outgroup (us versus them), dramatizations, and fallacies to create a security threat. Under the umbrella of Securitization Theory (ST), the results shed light on stories related to the BRI, its environmental problems, and their ideological constructions, which affect global politics and public diplomacy by constructing an existential threat. They demonstrate that these news stories can lead to a polarized reality that primarily highlights BRI’s political characteristics and management, rather than its environmental impact and influence on global governance, thereby affecting China’s public diplomacy.

M3 - Conference abstract

Y2 - 1 December 2025 through 3 December 2025

ER -

Studying the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Environmental Misinformation in English-Language Online News Discourse of China

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

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