How do Central Asian countries view the «Belt and road» projects? — Media coverage, public opinion, and the path to people-to-people bonds

Abstract

This article explores a very practical question: When the Central Asian region encounters Belt and Road infrastructure projects, what are the exact views of local media and the general public? We find that mainstream media in Central Asian countries generally maintain a positive stance, with reporting focusing on "economic benefits," "development opportunities," and "alignment with national strategies," keen to narrate how projects drive modernization and regional integration. However, the story becomes more complex on social media—where one can see both aspirations for opportunities and intertwined concerns about issues like the "debt trap" and "jobs being taken." Polls show that public support for cooperation is indeed relatively high, yet these underlying social sentiments also merit attention. The article further explores the potential role of media cooperation between Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. We argue that through information sharing, co-creating narratives, and building emotional connections, media cooperation can effectively improve the "soft environment" of projects and promote people-to-people bonds. However, the report also points out a key shortcoming: there is currently almost no solid data to quantitatively assess the actual impact of such cooperation. This is not only an academic gap but also a significant challenge for future practice.