Attributing Strategic Intention and Global Reach Within a Cross-Cultural Understanding of the Chinese "Belt and Road Initiative"

This paper conveys a cross-cultural understanding of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) using principles of western rhetoric as basis for interpretation. Thus, an American perspective is stressed. Most specifically, Kenneth Burke's Dramatistic Pentad is used for initial clarification along with the explanation of how further understanding can be realized via Fantasy Theme Analysis to better appreciate the expression of rhetorical vision. Recognition of how BRI can be understood differently, depending on the cultural context, is emphasized. This is couched in the contextual framing of mass media influences as explained by Marshall McLuhan.