CHINA’S ‘SOFT-POWER’ STRATEGY THREATENED BY OBAMA, SLOW GROWTH
Dune Lawrence
Bloomberg, February 17, 2009
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has touted her approach to diplomacy as “smart power.” That’s nothing new for China, which has employed economic, political and cultural persuasion under President Hu Jintao to build its image as a responsible world leader.
Now China’s gains as a regional partner and potential counter to U.S. influence are threatened by a slowdown in growth that may reduce its economic clout. At the same time, President Barack Obama’s pledge to reverse Bush-era policies that diminished America’s authority creates added competition for China’s “soft power” -- a phrase coined by Harvard professor Joseph Nye.
The changes may expose China’s communist government to more scrutiny as the country’s leaders launch a reported 45 billion yuan ($6.6 billion) program to expand the reach and impact of its state-run media.
“If you want to promote something, you have to make sure the thing you’re promoting is acceptable to other countries,” says Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute at National University of Singapore. “Soft power means other parties accept your values.”
While China has clocked nearly 10 percent annual growth for three decades and is now the world’s third-largest economy, the influence its money can buy has been offset by distrust among some nations of its political system.
Dune Lawrence
Bloomberg, February 17, 2009
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has touted her approach to diplomacy as “smart power.” That’s nothing new for China, which has employed economic, political and cultural persuasion under President Hu Jintao to build its image as a responsible world leader.
Now China’s gains as a regional partner and potential counter to U.S. influence are threatened by a slowdown in growth that may reduce its economic clout. At the same time, President Barack Obama’s pledge to reverse Bush-era policies that diminished America’s authority creates added competition for China’s “soft power” -- a phrase coined by Harvard professor Joseph Nye.
The changes may expose China’s communist government to more scrutiny as the country’s leaders launch a reported 45 billion yuan ($6.6 billion) program to expand the reach and impact of its state-run media.
“If you want to promote something, you have to make sure the thing you’re promoting is acceptable to other countries,” says Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute at National University of Singapore. “Soft power means other parties accept your values.”
While China has clocked nearly 10 percent annual growth for three decades and is now the world’s third-largest economy, the influence its money can buy has been offset by distrust among some nations of its political system.
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