Week 6 - Riley Frederking

            Soft power depends on several factors, including “culture, appealing political values and persuasive foreign policies” (Ding 295). It is about a strong moral compass and authority both home and abroad. For China, soft power has proven difficult to achieve as they struggle to overcome long held preconceived notions and beliefs about their country and “declining political ideology” (Ding 302). Many of their attempts to attain soft power, have been shrouded with controversy eroding the positive image that China attempts to present as nation. Unfortunately for China, the narrative the nation has desperately attempted to project has not been able to drown out the “widespread corruption, social injustice, environmental degradation and resistance to pursue real political reform”, creating a vast disconnect between representation and reality. (Ding 302).

            This desire to gloss over politics and policy ultimately has striped the Chinese nation and government of its credibility, a “crucial resource in defining state governments’ capacities to attract global attention” (Ding 296). This past Tuesday, the Communist Party of China has unveiled new leadership and Xi Jinping, president of China, claims they will “keep on striving with endless energy toward the great goal of national rejuvenation” through development of “global trade” and will “continue to partner with, and invest in, countries and businesses around the world” (Baijie). At times, it seems as if China is trying to buy the world’s affection rather than garnering it naturally through actual reform and who knows how far the government is “willing to go to ensure that their portrayal of a perfect China” (Latham 32). Regardless, we must give China credit, they are absolutely determined and steadfast on attaining soft power and a positive international brand, much more so than any other country we have examined thus far.

Question: Can soft power be forcibly manufactured or is it best gained organically through natural progression?

Baijie, An. “New Leadership, New Goals.” New Leadership, New Goals - China - Chinadaily.com.cn, China Daily, 25 Oct. 2017. Web. 28 Oct. 2017.

“Beijing China Skyline.” Imagekind, Modern Art Prints.

Ding, Sheng. “Branding a Rising China: An Analysis of Beijing’s National Image Management in the Age of China’s Rise.” Journal of Asian and African Studies, vol. 46, no. 3, Apr. 2011, pp. 293–306.

Latham, Kevin. “Media, the Olympics and the Search for the ‘Real China.’” The China Quarterly, no. 197, 2009, pp. 25–43.