Under the Belt and Road Initiative, publishing institutions in China have been actively engaged in publishing activities to promote the global dissemination of Chinese culture. Despite the substantial number of publishing projects, the influence and penetration of related publications in the target markets still fall short of expectations, revealing the challenges of low effectiveness in cross-cultural communication. Therefore, it is imperative to seek effective approaches to break down the barriers hindering cross-cultural transmission within the Belt and Road implementation. This paper proposes that publishing think tanks, as professional intellectual institutions integrating publishing research, strategic analysis, and communication planning, can play a vital role of "narrative empowerment" to enhance the cultural compatibility of publications in local markets.

The research process primarily consists of three parts: clarifying the specific challenges faced in the cross-cultural communication under the Belt and Road Initiative; explaining the concrete manifestations of the "narrative empowerment" role of publishing think tanks in the cross-cultural communication under the Belt and Road Initiative; proposing the safeguard conditions for publishing think tanks to effectively leverage "narrative empowerment".

The research finds that the current challenges in the cross-cultural communication under the Belt and Road Initiative mainly include the difficulties in narrative approaches to resonate emotionally with overseas audiences, the need for optimizing localized operation of publications, and the long-standing suppression by Western-dominated discourse power. Publishing think tanks can address these issues through "narrative empowerment" in four key areas. First, empowering narrative logic research to help publishing institutions build frameworks that align with the cognitive patterns of overseas audiences. Second, empowering content adaptation to enhance the adaptability and vitality of publications. Third, empowering localized operation by supporting publishing institutions in overseas market development, customized communication strategies, and compliance and risk management. Fourth, empowering discourse alliance building through "think tank diplomacy" to assist publishing institutions in forming a "third-party voice" by establishing discourse alliances across multiple countries and regions, thereby strengthening China's international discourse power.

Based on the analysis, the following conditions are proposed to ensure that publishing think tanks can effectively deliver narrative empowerment. First, establishing a scientific operational system for publishing think tanks, including clear organizational structures and functional divisions, improved management systems, diversified funding channels, and high-quality talent cultivation. Second, enhancing multi-dimensional capabilities of publishing think tanks, such as discourse construction ability, knowledge service capability, cross-cultural communication and dissemination competence, and the capacity to liaise with policy departments and translate policy impact into tangible outcomes. Third, strengthening the application of advanced technologies by publishing think tanks, including big data technology, generative artificial intelligence technology, multimedia convergence dissemination technology, and blockchain technology.