China's Belt and Road Initiative from the European Union perspective

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), spearheaded by China, represents a multi-dimensional strategy encompassing economic, political, and socio-cultural aspects. Understanding the EU perspective is vital, given Europe's strategic importance in the global arena. This research endeavors to explore the stance of selected EU nations - France, Italy, Germany, and Hungary by analyzing their newspaper reports on BRI. Articles, editorials, and opinion pieces from prominent newspapers in the four nations spanning a five-year time frame formed the primary data set. Leading publications such as Le Figaro (France), Corriere della Sera (Italy), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany), and Heti Világgazdaság (Hungary) were incorporated. Textual data were cleaned, ensuring removal of advertisements, non-relevant sections, and streamlining the format for analytical consistency. Using corpus analysis tools, recurring keywords were identified. For a comprehensive understanding, the analysis was both quantitative (frequency) and qualitative (contextual relevance). Articles were grouped based on emerging themes. This allowed for a systematic comparison across nations. Articles were grouped based on emerging themes. This allowed for a systematic comparison across nations. Economic implications of BRI, China's geopolitical strategy, environmental and sustainability concerns, and EU's collective vs. individual nation's responses. Italy, having signed onto BRI in 2019, showcased a discourse reflecting both the potential of economic ties and the challenges of aligning with broader EU strategies. German media highlighted the balancing act between its role as an EU leader and its individual economic interests, portraying BRI as both an opportunity and a challenge. Hungary positioned as an EU member with close ties to China, Hungarian reports underscored the strategic importance of BRI for domestic development, while occasionally echoing broader EU reservations. The EU's perspective on BRI, as reflected in its media discourse, is multifaceted. While economic opportunities are acknowledged, there's an underlying wariness regarding China's geopolitical ambitions. Each member state, based on its unique geopolitical and economics positioning, adds nuances to the collective EU narrative. This corpus analysis provides valuable insights into the dynamic interplay of economics, politics, and media narratives in shaping international relations.