ABSTRACT
Soft power has been one of the most popular terms in the Chinese foreign policy lexicon since the mid-2000s. The concept has frequently appeared in various official documents and political leaders’ speeches. Most Chinese scholars believe that Chinese culture and traditions are the most significant sources of China’s soft power, while many Chinese analysts suggest that Beijing has been successful in developing its soft power in the past decades largely because of its appropriate foreign policy. Chinese scholars view soft power as competitive and as part of a state’s comprehensive power. The mainstream view in the debate is that soft power serves a supplementary role to hard power in achieving China’s national interests in international relations, albeit through noncoercive means. Some analysts attribute the weakness of China’s cultural soft power to the government’s lackluster support, insufficient inheritance and development of traditional culture, and shortage of professionals in the cultural arena.
