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Paper abstract:

This article analyzes Kazakh media - discourse on the perception of China and the Chinese initiative «one belt, one road». The BRI envisages many joint Kazakh-Chinese projects. In recent years, the implementation of these projects has led to active discussion of BRI and Kazakh-Chinese relations in Kazakhstan’s media discourse and has been one of the reasons for the rise of anti-Chinese sentiment in the country. In this research work the following newspapers were selected for analysis: Egemen Kazakstan [Independent Kazakhstan], Kazakhstanskaia Pravda [Truth of Kazakhstan], Zhas Alash [Young Alash], Vremia [Time], Liter, DAT, and Aikyn. The criteria for selecting the newspaper are based on the form of ownership (state and private) and the language of publication (Kazakh and Russian). In the course of the research, 219 articles in the Kazakh language and 222 articles in Russian were analyzed. The results of the research showed that the discourse analysis of Kazakh newspapers is quite diverse depending on the language segment and form of ownership. State and private newspapers affiliated with quasi-state enterprises in the Russian language contain the most positive discourse. This corresponds to the political direction of the country and shows Kazakh-Chinese relations as mutually beneficial and friendly. Frequent newspapers contain more critical discourses in both languages, mostly directed at Kazakhstan’s political power and how it deals with China, and some critics have seen aspects of synophobia. If we talk about the state newspapers in the Kazakh language, we can say that the discourse there is mostly positive at first glance, but if we study in more detail, we can see the subtle and subtle views on the dynamic development of the Kazakh-China’s relationship, which raises many questions.