Soft power is a concept in international relations coined by Joseph S. Nye that refers to the ability of a state to influence the policies and behavior of other states through persuasion rather than coercion. Power dynamics around the world have shifted from traditional forms of power, that is, military and economic strength, to soft power, that is, cultural, ideological and institutional means of achieving strategic goals. The traditional methods are still important for a country’s self-defense, but are not conducive to maintaining power in today’s world because they are too expensive and introduce new challenges. Joseph Nye has defined five key trends in the spread of soft power, including economic interdependence, transnational actors, and the proliferation of technology. These factors can be used to exert power around the world instead of using traditional methods.
China uses soft power as a strategic approach to strengthen its global influence and advance its national interests. The strategic dimensions China uses include cultural diplomacy, strategic economic partnerships, political and diplomatic engagement, and technological advancement. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2014: “We should strengthen China’s soft power, convey a good Chinese narrative and communicate China’s message better.”
First of all, China uses cultural diplomacy as a soft power tool by establishing Confucius Institutes and cultural events. The Chinese government attaches great importance to establishing Confucius Institutes around the world in cooperation with educational institutions. These institutions promote Chinese language and a better understanding of Chinese culture, traditions and values worldwide. The aim is to promote transnational cultural exchanges between China and other countries. In addition, China hosts and participates in cultural events such as art festivals, film festivals, sports events, exhibitions and cultural exchange programs, which play an important role in engaging other countries and introducing them to Chinese art, history and traditions. This helps promote people-to-people networking and engage with foreign publics to shape the perception of Chinese culture, which shapes its global image and influence through education.
In addition, China maintains strategic economic partnerships such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), economic loans and aid, and provides humanitarian assistance to strengthen its influence on the world stage by promoting economic interdependence. BRI aims to create connectivity through land routes from China to Europe and sea routes between Southeast Asia, South Asia, Asia, Africa and Europe. It aims to improve economic development and diplomatic relations through infrastructure and trade among the countries involved. Likewise, China provides economic loans to support development projects in various countries, which helps build strong economic relations and provides favorable conditions for Chinese businesses and investments in the recipient countries. In addition, China provides humanitarian assistance during natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, pandemics, etc. to manage crises and improve living conditions. These tools help build positive relationships and create a positive image as a development partner.
In addition, China pursues political and diplomatic strategies by actively participating in multilateral cooperation and promoting its governance model. China’s engagement in international organizations such as the United Nations and regional organizations such as SCO, ASEAN and FOCAC, etc. aims to cooperate in economic, social and cultural exchanges and advocates China’s multilateral approach to global issues. In addition, China promotes its governance model as an alternative to Western democracy dominated by the Chinese Communist Party, which relies on strict government policies leading to economic growth, poverty alleviation and social stability.
In addition, China’s technological advancements are the cornerstone of its soft power strategy. By leading technology sectors such as high-tech companies, 5G technology, AI research, cybersecurity and space exploration, etc., China aims to position itself as a technology leader. These technology industries have branches in several countries and employ people from all over the world, which plays an important role in the perception of the country’s progress in the technology sector and becomes a magnet for developing countries that rely on others to meet their technology needs.
In summary, China uses soft power to assert its interests by influencing countries through its advances in various sectors: through cooperation in economics, politics, culture, and technology. China has turned its competitors into allies. China’s soft power has a strong factor of economic interests. The strategies China uses to assert its interests in soft power contribute to its economy and strength and build relationships based on interdependence. Since China plays a dominant role in the bilateral exchange cooperations (since it is a supplier), it can easily influence other countries to do what it wants. This is the essence of exercising soft power.
