Modern technology has been used, since its very inception, as a tool to drive and regulate how people form an opinion. In a web-ified society, social media has become a key driver for starting trends, whether social or political. It is now used even to influence an election process (the world saw traces of alleged Russian collusion in the US presidential elections). It is also being used as an instrument of war. These new virtual battlefronts are now seeing a war of narratives.
The West and the East have always been two different worlds. The West, mainly the US, has always sought to oppose the policies pursued by China. This appears to be natural as the two sides are competitors in many areas. The fracas has shown a swift shift into a new realm with the emergence of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. A new war of narratives is being waged against Chinese efforts to globalise the world after the US and its allies failed to do so. Instead of promoting a globalized world, Uncle Sam founded a capitalised world and laid the foundations of a debt-based economy. China’s initiative to globalise the world through interconnectivity and development appears, on the other hand, set to bring prosperity worldwide.
The moment CPEC picked up pace in its development, narratives against it started surfacing on the internet. A variety of accusations were slung in order to attack the project. The project has been continuously attacked in the social media.
The US and its allies seem uncomfortable with the rapid growth and echo of the BRI. The web is now being used to launch moves to sabotage the esteem and the spirit of the project. It has been suggested that China will cripple Pakistan’s economy and that the CPEC is another East India Company. The narratives are meant to poison the youth against the project.
The essential difference between the East India Company and the CPEC is their different dynamics. The Company was set up for trade but later started influencing and interfering in politics. The CPEC, however, does not represent trade, it is a bilateral agreement under the BRI umbrella. The conspiracy narrative would be interesting if there were a logical basis to it. They seem to stem from a hatred of Pakistan and China.
The moment CPEC picked up pace in its development, narratives against it started surfacing on the internet
Most of the anti-CPEC narratives are attacking the two countries rather than pointing out the harm. There is a lot of material online suggesting that China will overwhelm Pakistan, and Pakistan will lose its autonomy. This would be a valid concern if someone were to discus also how China will do it or how Pakistan, a sovereign nation, has surrendered its freedom by signing a bilateral agreement.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed satisfaction with the CPEC projects. He has also urged investors he met at an investment forum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to invest in it.
The claim that China is pursuing imperialistic goals in South Asia is not even supported by history. China isn’t among the proponents of mercantilism. China is facilitating Pakistan the same way it is supporting several countries in Africa. Pakistan might owe China a lot, but it remains a sovereign state, which formulates its own policies without receiving a dictation from anybody.
Recently, the second BRI forum hosted heads of states and governments from 37 countries and leaders from the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Speaking on the occasion, President Xi Jinping refuted arguments made by the anti-BRI forces that China aims to establish global hegemony through a debt-trap diplomacy.
The government of Pakistan should launch an effort of its own to provide a counter narrative on the internet. Its failure so far to do this has left a dangerous void. It is mandatory for the government to develop a counter narrative based on statistics and facts. Only that can be an effective remedy.
The writer is a research associate at the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution