China's Public Diplomacy: Evolution, Domestic Dimensions, and Implications

This paper highlights how China has operated public diplomacy differently. Integrating key scholarly works from China and the West, this paper demonstrates a fundamental distinction: China conceptualizes public diplomacy as a resource to promote the narrative of national rejuvenation and regime legitimacy. This paper also indicates that public diplomacy is a crucial instrument of soft power, and through examining the evolution, paradigm shift, domestic dimensions, as well as implications of China's public diplomacy, this author argues that China's public diplomacy is characteristic of being more state-centric, domestically-oriented rather than non-state actors-centric and externally-driven; however, it has been accounted for that China will always prioritise its core national interests. By clarifying the distinction of China's public diplomacy, this paper provides insights into the core principles of China's unique approach, as well as a critical framework for understanding the opportunities and challenges of China's pursuit of global influence.