▲ In many Chinese cities, ancient architecture is mixed with modern architecture. In the graphic, the Xi’an Exhibition Park, in Shaanxi province, northwest China.Xinhua photo
Dora Villanueva
Sent
La Jornada Newspaper
Tuesday, November 26, 2024, p. 15
Beijing. Rooted in a history of 5 thousand years, Chinese culture has taken on a new complexion. Not only does it advance in niches that have allowed it to enter new export markets, but it has also become a way of representing the diversity of this country beyond the geopolitical narratives that predominate in the West.
He soft power Chinese is taking off. According to a working document from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in which data from 66 countries are analyzed for the period 2007-2021, it is the fourth nation with the best soft power indicators, only below South Korea, Japan and Germany.
In past decades, as geopolitical tensions with the United States escalated, no country like China has improved in soft power (a reference attributed to Joseph Nye Jr to distinguish the ability of a nation to influence others through attraction, instead of coercion or payment).
The study divided soft power into six categories covering economic attractiveness, cultural presence, digital capabilities, educational influence, global reach and institutional strength.
He explains that the UK used to have a significantly higher level of soft power than China. However, this changed a couple of decades ago.
China’s soft power went from 0.70 in 2004 to 1.17 in 2021, while that of the United Kingdom decreased from 1.32 to 0.85 in the same period.
The IMF details that soft power among the countries analyzed ranges between a minimum of -0.59 points for the Dominican Republic, above which are Algeria (-0.55), the Philippines (-0.53) and Azerbaijan (-0.47). On the opposite side, South Korea leads, with a maximum of 1.68 in the measurement, followed by Japan (1.25), Germany (1.18) and China (1.17).
Overtakes Japan on a second stopover
A different methodology, Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index 2024 published in February 2024, puts China in third place above Japan and Germany and below the United States and the United Kingdom. However, it highlights that the socialist power had the greatest improvement of any nation on this year’s list, with an advance of 6.2 points.
Culture as a kind of soft power is often first referred to in the speech that then-President Hu Jintao gave in 2007 during the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.
The great revitalization of the Chinese nation must be accompanied by the flourishing of its culture. It is up to us to bring into full play the role of subject that the people play in cultural construction and to deploy the enthusiasm of the numerous cultural workers, to promote with greater awareness and initiative the broad development and prosperity of culture and to undertake creations in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, making the people share the achievements of cultural development.
Seven years later, President Xi Jinping revisited the idea, emphasizing a good Chinese narrative and better communicating China’s message to the world. The great geopolitical struggle of our time is China/United States, and at that point, part of the narratives go through the historical baggage of each country. The American one as a young nation, with around 200 years of existence, and on the other hand the Asian one, which was founded in one of the ancient empires, explains José Antonio Cervera, director of the Center for Asian and African Studies at El Colegio de Mexico.
Also in a talk with The DayLiljana Arsovska, from the same study center, explains that until a few decades ago the People’s Republic of China had little connection with what happened before 1959. Now, the researcher maintains, there is a kind of great mission to rescue history for all levels in order to generate ideological narrative for the present and the future.
How do the methods used by the IMF and Brand Finance to measure soft power potentially favor a Western-centric perspective and how might this affect their assessment of China’s soft power?
## World Today News Interview: The Rise of Chinese Soft Power
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World Today News. Today we delve into the fascinating topic of China’s growing soft power, its impact on the global stage, and the implications for international relations. Joining us today are two esteemed experts: Dr. José Antonio Cervera, Director of the Center for Asian and African Studies at El Colegio de Mexico, and Dr. Liljana Arsovska, a researcher at the same institution specializing in Chinese history and culture.
**Section 1: Defining and Measuring Soft Power**
* **Host:** Dr. Cervera, the article mentions a quantifiable measurement of soft power by the IMF and Brand Finance. Can you explain what exactly constitutes soft power and how these organizations measure it?
* **Dr. Cervera:**
* **Host:** Dr. Arsovska, the article also highlights that China’s soft power has been steadily increasing while the UK’s has declined. What do you attribute these trends to?
* **Dr. Arsovska:**
**Section 2: Culture as a Tool of Soft Power**
* **Host:** The article quotes President Xi Jinping emphasizing the importance of a “good Chinese narrative” for international communication. Dr. Cervera, how is China utilizing its rich cultural heritage to project this narrative and build its soft power?
* **Dr. Cervera:**
* **Host:** Dr. Arsovska, the article also mentions a deliberate effort to reclaim and reinterpret Chinese history. How does this historical reclamation contribute to shaping China’s soft power strategy?
* **Dr. Arsovska:**
**Section 3: The Geopolitical Implications of China’s Growing Soft Power**
* **Host:** Dr. Cervera, with its growing economic and cultural influence, China is increasingly seen as a major player on the global stage. What are the potential implications of China’s rising soft power for the international order?
* **Dr. Cervera:**
* **Host:** Dr. Arsovska, how do you see the relationship between China’s historical narrative, its cultural exports, and its diplomatic strategies playing out in the context of its growing global influence?
* **Dr. Arsovska:**
**Conclusion:**
* **Host:** Thank you both for your insightful perspectives on this important topic. The rise of China’s soft power is undoubtedly a significant development with far-reaching consequences for global affairs. As China continues to expand its global reach, understanding its use of soft power will become increasingly crucial in navigating the complexities of the 21st century.
Join us next time on World Today News as we continue to explore the most pressing issues facing our world.
