Hard choices, soft power

 

Poem by Long Yuan; Cartoon by Gou Ben

 

Soft power is a subject of debate,
Something many seek to elevate.
But a country must not simply imitate.
It must decide its own fate,
Based on the realities of its current state.
Soft power’s interpretation,
May vary from nation to nation.
Chinese cultural globalization
Requires strategic consideration.
Power comes in many forms,
But hard power is the norm.
To maintain domestic prosperity,
Avoid the “discourse trap” and maintain clarity.

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First articulated by Harvard University professor Joseph Nye in the 1990s, the notion of soft power has long been a subject of interest among China’s scholars and officials. Now, soft power is being increasingly stressed in social practice.

Popular in China
The Chinese government has worked to build its cultural power since 2011 with strategic measures like fostering strong, competitive cultural industries through improved market access and increased investment. It has supported the development of emerging cultural industries, such as animation and gaming, while helping cultural products find an international market. Unlike other countries, China views soft power construction as an important component of national economic transformation and upgrading with the intent of balancing culture with economic and social development.

Some Chinese scholars have put forward a theory of cultural soft power based on Nye’s formulation. In their view, cultural soft power is a means by which a country participates in international competition. Including a country’s primary ideology and basic value orientation, cultural soft power helps the nation to compete globally. Some scholars and institutions combine the concept with cultural security. They focus on primary ideology and socialist core values free from the influence of internal or external forces, ensuring China’s integral cultural sovereignty.

Chinese context
Western countries make statements about the world order and soft power based on specific political systems and social formations. They have also set a “discourse trap” for underdeveloped countries. The concrete context of soft power construction should be prudently analyzed.
 

China should construct an independent and pragmatic theoretical discourse in accordance with its overall strategic design. At the same time, it should formulate cultural value orientation and measurement criteria beneficial to its national conditions and long-term interests. Currently, China’s priority is to tackle issues like domestic regional economic disparities, infrastructure construction, and pressures that arise amid social transition, rather than focus too much on global influence of soft power.

After all, Chinese culture has a long way to go before it can really influence the world. Furthermore, in terms of the nation’s cultural construction, culture is not only a form of soft power but also a practical choice based on the real lives of individuals and groups. It is inextricably linked to each citizen’s vital interests, personal goals and lifestyle rather than the mere pursuit of national wealth and influence.

According to Chinese academia, large-scale soft power construction requires a far-sighted orientation. Institutional and cultural arrangements should be made for China’s social and cultural vision. Soft power should not be only regarded as a means of participating in international politics but also should be based on the long-term interests of the nation and the people. In terms of the “cultural power” strategy, the development of cultural industries is an accumulative process, which needs time, inclusiveness and the strategic support of multiple sectors.
 

China, a large country that is not wealthy, has undertaken massive obligations to provide international aid, earning the praise of some developing countries. However, its development strategy of extensive growth and export orientation urgently needs to be changed to better safeguard its international image. Therefore, as a big country with complex historical traditions and national conditions, China should advance with the times and achieve innovation while promoting the strategy of soft power.

For any country, the real test cultural construction has to face is attitude. Soft power construction aims to externally build trust, understanding and respect while internally realizing the wellbeing of a nation’s citizens, and the latter task is more essential. It is improper for a country to give up its long-term interests in pursuit of a good evaluation from the outside world. China’s development should take the world’s response into consideration to some extent, but more importantly, it should conform to the requirements of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as well as social development and progress.

 

Sun Yingchun is a professor from the Institute of International Relations at the Communication University of China.