Welcome to Francis Academic Press

Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2021, 4(8); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2021.040808.

Critically Analyse the Role of "Soft Power" in China's Rise

Author(s)

Zheng Zheng1,2

Corresponding Author:
Zheng Zheng
Affiliation(s)

1School of Political Science and Public Adminitration, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai, China

2School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, UK

Abstract

The concept of soft power was put forward by Nye in the 1990s and soon became popular in China. In 2007, the concept of "national cultural soft power" emerged and was elevated to the level of national strategy. This article argues that cultural soft power is only one aspect of soft power. Under the background of the new era, soft power is no longer limited to the cultural field, but has the tendency to expand to the economy, society, health and other fields. China has begun to attach importance to the role of soft power in all aspects, especially through policy. China's policy behaviour of actively providing international public goods supports this view.

Keywords

Soft Power; China; International Public Goods

Cite This Paper

Zheng Zheng. Critically Analyse the Role of "Soft Power" in China's Rise. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2021) Vol. 4, Issue 8: 46-52. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2021.040808.

References

[1] Edney, K. (2012) Soft power and the Chinese propaganda system, Journal of Contemporary China, 21(78), 899–914. 

[2] Nye, J.S., Jr (2017) Soft power: the origins and political progress of a concept, Palgrave Communications, 3(1), 1-3.

[3] Wang, H. and Lu, Y. C. (2008) The Conception of soft power and its policy implications: A comparative study of China and Taiwan, Journal of Contemporary China, 17(56), 425–447.

[4] Gill, B. and Huang, Y. (2006) Sources and limits of Chinese "soft power", Survival, 48(2), 17–36.

[5] Edney, K. (2014) The Globalization of Chinese Propaganda: International Power and Domestic Political Cohesion. 1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan US.

[6] Nye, J.S., Jr (2002) Limits of American Power, Political Science Quarterly, 117(4), 545-559.

[7] Nye, J.S., Jr (2004) Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, New York: Public Affairs.

[8] Zha, D.J., (2020). Xinguan yimiao shi quanqiu "gongongpin" haishi "gongong chanpin" [Is COVID-19 vaccine a global "public good" or "public product"?]. https://www.nsd.pku.edu.cn/sylm/xz1/503591.htm.

[9] Samuelson, P.A. (1948) Economics: An Introductory Analysis. with William D. Nordhaus (since 1985), 2009, 19th ed., McGraw–Hill.

[10] Yang, M.R. (2015) Yidai yilu zhanlve xia guoji gongong chanpin gongji yanjiu [Research on the Supply of International Public Goods under The Belt and Road Strategy], Jiage lilun yu Shijian, (11), 64-66.

[11] Fan, W.Z. (2019) Yidai yilu chengwei xinshidai guoji gongong chanpin [The Belt and Road has become an international public good in the new era], Zhongguo Jinrong, 889(5), 16-19.

[12] Hu, J. (2020) Yidai yilu de guoji gonggong chanpin gongneng yu zhongguo ruanshili de tisheng[The Belt and Road's international public goods function and the promotion of China's soft power], Guowai Shehui Kexue, (3), 4–18.

[13] Hu, J. (2020) Yidai yilu yu zhongguo ruanshili de tisheng [The Belt and Road and China's soft power promotion], Shehui Kexue, (1), 3–18. 

[14] Merton, R.K. (1973) [1942] The Normative Structure of Science, The Sociology of Science: Theoretical and Empirical Investigations, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 267–278.

[15] Gill, B. (2020) China's Global Influence: Post-COVID Prospects for Soft Power, Washington Quarterly, 43(2), 97–115.

[16] Xinhua. (2021). Zhongguo yi xiang guoji shehui tigong 5 yiji xinguan yimiao he yuanye [China has provided 500 million doses of neocrown vaccine and stock solution to the international community]. https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1704821283245024638&wfr=spider&for=pc.

[17] Renmin. (2021). Tujie: Rang zhongguo yimiao chengwei quanqiu gongong chanping xijinping zheju chengnuo lizhong qianjun [Illustration: making China vaccine a global public product Xi Jinping has a great commitment]. http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2021/0112/c1002-31996994.html.

[18] Renmin. (2021). Waijiaobu: zhongguo zheng xiang 80 ge guojia tigong yimiao yuanzhu [Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China is providing vaccine aid to 80 countries]. https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1695644964983772264&wfr=spider&for=pc.

[19] Renmin. (2021). Xi Jinping tan guojia wenhua ruanshili: Zengqiang zuo zhongguoren de guqi he diqi [Xi on the soft power of the nation's culture: strengthening the backbone and confidence of the Chinese people]. http://cpc.people.com.cn/xuexi/n/2015/0625/c385474-27204268.html.

[20] Ren, S.J. (2012) Ruanying liliang de xietiao yunyong yu guojia duiwai guanxi [The coordinated use of hard and soft power and the external relations of the state], Shanghai: Shanghai International Studies University. 

[21] Edney, K. (2015) Building National Cohesion and Domestic Legitimacy: A Regime Security Approach to Soft Power in China, Politics, 35(3–4), 259–272.

[22] Lü, S.T. (2018) Zhongguo ruanshili guoji yingxiangli tisheng yanjiu [Research on the Promotion of the International influence of China's Soft Power], Shandong: Shandong University.

[23] Kim, J. H. et al. (2021) Operation Warp Speed: implications for global vaccine security, The Lancet Global Health, 1017–1021.

[24] Kulkarni, A., Sanzgiri, A and Jha, V. (2021) International Political Economy of Covid-19 Vaccine: Issues & Challenges, Hmlyan Jr Eco Bus Mgn, 2(2), 17-23.

[25] Li, M.J. (2008) China debates soft power, Chinese Journal of International Politics, 2(2), 287–308.

[26] Nye, J.S., Jr (2011) The Future of Power, New York: Public Affairs.

[27] Nye, J.S., Jr (2014) The Information Revolution and Power, Current History, 113(759), 19–22.

[28] Yağci, M. (2018) Rethinking soft power in light of China's belt and road initiative, International Relations Council of Turkey, 15(57), 67–78. 

[29] Zhang, M. (2016) Zhongguo ruanshili de xianzhuang fazhan yu xinshiqi de zhongmeiguanxi: fang Joseph Nye [The Status Quo and Development of China's Soft Power and Sino-US Relations in the New Era -- Interview with Joseph Nye], Makesi zhuyi yanjiu, (5), 12-16.

[30] Zhu, Y., Edney, K., Rosen, S., (2019). Soft power with Chinese characteristics. 1st ed. London: Taylor and Francis.