China Debates Soft Power

Observers of Chinese politics and international relations could not have failed to notice in recent years the upsurge of references in China to the term soft power. The popularity of this concept among Chinese political leaders, scholars, journalists and pundits has been striking, and its prevalence in Chinese media significant. Although soft power is arguably one of the most important aspects of China's foreign strategy to have appeared in the new century, it is nonetheless insufficiently understood in the outside world. International political leaders and pundits have paid close attention to both the growth and practice of China's soft power, and unequivocally expressed concern as to its implications. These reasons warrant a thorough examination of the term. Knowing how soft power is discussed among the Chinese elite is a good starting point towards understanding the importance of the concept within China's international politics. How do they understand and interpret soft power? Why is there such a strong and growing interest in soft power in China? What role do the Chinese elite assign to soft power within China's international strategy in the new century, especially in the context of China's rise? This article neither delves into the theoretical debate on what constitutes soft power nor focuses on China's actual practice of it. Its purpose is to examine the overall understanding of soft power among Chinese intellectuals and decision makers and its implications as regards China's international strategy. The scholarly community in today's China has taken an important part in foreign policy making, and there are several channels through which top decision makers consult Chinese experts on various issues.1 The current debate on soft power in China is unquestionably relevant to China's foreign policy orientation in the years ahead.