Soft Power with Chinese Specifics: Concept and Approaches

The purpose of the study. Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power has enriched the idea of the country’s comprehensive power and attracted great attention from the Chinese theoretical community and decision-making agencies. The article examines the current state of China’s soft power research. The definition, composition and significance of the theory of soft power with Chinese specifics are analyzed. Conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, the author comes to the conclusion that: firstly, the problem of the soft power of the state has become an urgent topic in Chinese scientific circles in recent years. As for the current state of research, in recent years, the research of Chinese scientists in the field of soft power has been more focused on theoretical research than on practical ones. Secondly, Chinese scientists gave the Chinese orientation to Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power as an extension of the concepts of “cultural power” and “soft power” and applied the concept of “cultural soft power” for the first time. Moreover, the understanding of the concept of “cultural soft power” with Chinese specifics has not yet been unified. Thirdly, as for the definition of soft power, Chinese scientists have considered it from different points of view. We believe that “soft power” means the international influence and attractiveness of a country’s culture, values, social system and development model. Unlike coercive methods such as threats of force or economic sanctions, “soft power” means the ability to influence others through attraction or assimilation to achieve goals. Fourth, with regard to the basic elements of soft power, although Chinese scientists have some differences in their understanding of the constituent elements of soft power, they generally confirm the diversity of the constituent elements of soft power, and the depth of research has been expanded. Fifth, the importance of soft power: 1) Chinese scientists generally believe that China’s development of soft power not only meets the requirements of the time, but also meets the needs of a new period and a new stage of national strategic development; 2) if China wants to achieve a peaceful rise, it must develop and use soft power; 3) the use of soft power is related to China’s cultural security. Sixth, the improvement of “soft power” in China has become an important strategy for national development. In addition to the government’s focus on soft power development at the national strategic level, China has also established some institutions specializing in soft power research.