Introduction: Exploring flows and counter-flows of information along the New Silk Road

Six years have passed since China unveiled the Belt and Road Initiative (Yidai Yilu一带一路, formally called One Belt One Road), which was initiated to reconnect China with countries in Asia, Middle East, Europe, and Africa and to improve regional cooperation through better connectivity, enhanced trade exchange, and shared opportunity. By understanding the importance of Europe as the destination of both the “Belt”—a more developed inland connectivity and the “Road”—a more enhanced sea routes network; and observing the mixed information flow of acceptance—resistance, cooperation—dispute, and agreement—disagreement in different countries along the silk road, China Media Observatory of Institute of Media and Journalism, Faculty of Communication Sciences, at Università della Svizzera Italiana (Lugano) is editing this special symposium as a collection of the papers include studies of different media narratives that shape public understanding of Belt and Road Initiative and discuss how Belt and Road Initiative and China’s vision of connecting different stakeholders for international collaborations are reported in both legacy news media and social media.