Indo-Pak Kashmir Conflict: Chinese Media Framing and Evolving Perspective

Abstract

By adopting framing theory, this study examines the coverage of two Englishlanguage Chinese newspapers, namely China Daily and Global Times, on the current happenings in Indian held Kashmir (IHK) and escalations on Line of Control (LoC) to cognise Beijing‟s official perspective as a third key stakeholder of the valley. Content analysis is employed for a statistical analysis of dominant frames used by the Chinese press vis-à-vis the Indo-Pak Kashmir conflict in news reports from August 5 (annulment of Article 370 of the Indian constitution) to September 30, 2019 (last day of the 74th UNGA‟s session held at the United Nations). Findings suggest that both newspapers used almost similar frames for the Kashmir problem, nevertheless, with a difference in the ratio of coverage. Leadership frame was frequently used in the mediated texts, followed by conflict, peace, and responsibility frames, with primarily „episodic‟ reportage, which echoed that delays in IHK‟s resolution will have grave implications for regional stability. The study concludes that dominant frames reinforced by the press tow Beijing‟s current foreign, or say Kashmir, policy.