An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Communication Problems and Countermeasures in the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative (“BRI”) is an undertaking between China and other regional countries to expand upon the existing multilateral regional framework, with the goal of improving the existing and effective cooperation among countries in the region. The BRI draws from the history of the ancient “Silk Road”, and encourages the peaceful and active development of participating countries’ economies in order to create mutual political trust, economic integration, and cultural integration. The BRI does this by concerning itself with community, fate, and responsibility. In the process of building the BRI, it is crucial to actively carry out cross-cultural communication. While cross-cultural communication can enhance mutual political trust, which is the first prerequisite for the realization of the BRI, it can also help to eliminate prejudice, break down barriers, and promote integration, so that Chinese products and enterprises can successfully "go global" and achieve economic integration with participating countries. This paper analyzes the problems and obstacles of cross-cultural communication in China’s "Belt and Road" strategy, and discusses the corresponding implementation of countermeasures to facilitate the construction of the great and massive undertaking of the Belt and Road Initiative.