ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at China’s efforts towards the increased diversification and sophistication of its public diplomacy practices in recent years, and will cover new developments in the field, such as the nation rebranding efforts through the China Dream (Zhongguo Meng) campaign (Callahan, 2013; Kerr, 2015), the use of nation-branding advertising (Wang, 2013), establishing think tanks for promoting public diplomacy (Lai, 2012; d’Hooghe, 2015; Kerr, 2015), engaging in culinary diplomacy (Chapple-Sokol, 2013), corporate public diplomacy (Wang, 2013; Haynal, 2014), pop culture diplomacy (Ishii, 2013; Global Times, 2014) and faith diplomacy (Zhang, 2013). All these efforts represent China’s increasing interest in building lasting relations with the rest of the world, asserting its identity, cultivating its own image, and showcasing its influence. However, China public diplomacy has some inherent weaknesses that may significantly undercut its effectiveness.
