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Dragon’s underbelly: An analysis of China’s soft power

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Abstract

Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this paper extends Joseph Nye’s analytical framework on soft power to the China case, in order to provide a more balanced and updated analysis of the country’s power status. We argue that the rise of China is not simply an expansion of hard power; it has also been accompanied by tremendous efforts to develop soft power. Soft power helps Beijing redraw geopolitical alliances in ways that will propel its rise as a global power. This process is nevertheless complicated by the deficiency of its soft power resources and the uneven progress in projecting the soft power abroad. The paper concludes that despite Beijing’s growing ability to shape other people’s worldview or political agenda, soft power remains Beijing’s underbelly and China still has a long way to go to become a true global leader.

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Notes

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Authors
  1. Yanzhong Huang
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  2. Sheng Ding
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Huang, Y., Ding, S. Dragon’s underbelly: An analysis of China’s soft power. East Asia 23, 22–44 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03179658

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