"Soft Power" in Chinese International Relations Theory

Some Aspects of the Chinese Debate on "Soft Power"

Abstract

The term "soft power", coined by American scholar J.S. Nye, not only became well known in China but also stirred a debate among Chinese experts about how to adapt this notion to the Chinese context. This debate embraces wide spectrum of issues - from a linguistic problem (how to properly translate the expression "soft power" in order to reflect its intended meaning), to the very definition of the term, to sources, tools, and other aspects of it. Due to the fact that the practice of China's "soft power" has already been painstakingly described and analyzed, this paper focuses on theoretical assumption of Chinese "soft power", seen from the perspective of Chinese scholars. This discourse contributes to the debate about the PRC's foreign policy and international relations theory with Chinese characteristics.