  This study delves into the media analysis of China's ambitious Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI), which, in a polarized world, and furthermore, owing to the
very polarizing nature of the initiative itself, has received both strong
criticisms and conversely positive coverage in media from across the world. In
that context, Hong Kong's dynamic media environment, with a particular focus on
its drastically changing press freedom before and after the implementation of
the National Security Law is of further interest.
  Leveraging data science techniques, this study employs Global Database of
Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT) to comprehensively collect and analyse
(English) news articles on the BRI. Through sentiment analysis, we uncover
patterns in media coverage over different periods from several countries across
the globe, and delve further to investigate the the media situation in the Hong
Kong region. This work thus provides valuable insights into how the Belt and
Road Initiative has been portrayed in the media and its evolving reception on
the global stage, with a specific emphasis on the unique media landscape of
Hong Kong.
  In an era characterised by increasing globalisation and inter-connectivity,
but also competition for influence, animosity and trade-wars, understanding the
perceptions and coverage of such significant international projects is crucial.
This work stands as an interdisciplinary endeavour merging geopolitical science
and data science to uncover the intricate dynamics of media coverage in
general, and with an added emphasis on Hong Kong.
