Book123

    Free register and download UseNet downloader, then you can FREE Download from UseNet.

    Download without Limit " Law & Politics Lyrics: Soft Power: China's Emerging Strategy in International Politics " from UseNet for FREE!

More

Mingjiang Li, "Soft Power: China's Emerging Strategy in International Politics"

Soft power has become a very popular concept in international affairs. Ever

since Joseph Nye coined it in 1990 in his book Bound to Lead,1 the term

has frequently appeared in government policy papers, academic discussions,

and the popular media. The intensity of the discussion of China’s soft power

has been particularly notable. The concept of soft power provides a unique

perspective not only on China’s current foreign and security policy but, more

significantly, on the trajectory of China’s rise in the long term. In this introductory

chapter, I will briefly discuss the ongoing debate about China’s soft

power, critically review Nye’s conceptualization of soft power, propose a

“soft use of power” approach, and outline the structure of the book.

WORLDWIDE SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA’S SOFT POWER

In China, soft power has become one of the most frequently used phrases

among political leaders, leading academics, and journalists. What is most

striking is the importance that Chinese leaders unequivocally assign to soft

power in China’s international political strategy. Party Chief and President Hu

Jintao, for instance, noted at the Central Foreign Affairs Leadership Group

meeting on January 4, 2006 that the increase of China’s international status

and influence depends both on hard power, such as the economy, science and

technology, and defense, as well as on soft power, such as culture.2 Hu again

highlighted soft power in his political report to the 17th Party Congress in

October 2007, stressing the urgent need to build China’s cultural soft power

to meet domestic needs and increasing international challenges.3

In the international arena, China’s soft power has also become a spotlight

issue.4 The 2007 World Economic Forum held in Dalian, a coastal city in

China’s Liaoning Province, addressed the issue of China’s soft power. The

then Australian Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd presented Joshua Kurlantzick’s

book Charm Offensive: How China’s Soft Power is Transforming the

World to U.S. former President George W. Bush to remind him “why the U.S.

has been losing influence.”5 The U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS)

conducted two comprehensive studies on China’s soft power influence in

Asia, Africa, and Latin America in the first half of 2008, which clearly shows

the concerns of U.S. leaders over China’s soft power.6

The widespread attention on China’s soft power notwithstanding, views

on Beijing’s capability to “charm” the rest of the world and the implications

of such a capability have been varied. The Chinese discourse on soft power

has mainly focused on its sources and potential utility in Chinese foreign

strategy. The mainstream assessment of the state of China’s soft power by

Chinese analysts is that soft power is still a weak link in China’s pursuit for

stronger comprehensive national power. It has lagged significantly behind the

growth of the country’s hard power. Many strategists maintain that China is

still not sophisticated in incorporating soft power into its strategic planning.7

However, other observers believe that the prospect of China’s soft power

looks more sanguine because China has faired quite well in the international

competition for soft power, since it boasts abundant sources of soft power

such as culture, traditional philosophy, etc.8

Buy Book at Lowest Price on Amazon

Not all books ... appear on the homepage.

In order not to miss many of them follow ebooks section (see top of each page on AH)

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123