"Sharp Power" in the Modern Political Discourse of Western Countries and the Foreign Policy of Russia and China

The article deals with the concept of "sharp power", applied to the foreign policy of the PRC and RF". In recent years, the idea that “sharp power” is an alternative version of “soft power” implemented by authoritarian states (China, Russia, Iran, etc.) has spread in the political discourse of Western countries. The use of "sharp power" is aimed at undermining democratic regimes in Western countries, primarily, in the United States. The tools of "sharp power" most often include interpersonal exchanges, cultural events, educational programs and the development of global media projects (Russia Today, Sputnik, Confucius Institutes, etc.). The possibilities of the global Internet are widely used, in particular, social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Propaganda, data falsification, manipulation and distortion of information, cyber attacks, all of them are manifestations of the use of "sharp power". The concept of "sharp power", as well as its frequent use in modern political discourse in Western countries, are the elements of the United States course of confrontation with Russia and China. The concept of "sharp power" should be viewed as a propaganda cliché used by Western countries for Russia and China in the new "cold war" ("Cold War" 2.0).