Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores China’s understanding of cultural diplomacy and its attempts to deliver it through international exhibitions in the 21st century. It provides an overview of China’s policy and rationale for cultural diplomacy and how Chinese museums and their international exhibitions are regulated by the Chinese government for image building and administrative reasons. The book explores how the Chinese central government instrumentalises international exhibitions for cultural diplomacy toward the United Kingdom (UK). It discusses how international exhibitions coordinated with China’s diplomatic agendas and foreign policies. The book evaluates how these exhibitions affect China’s image with a qualitative narrative analysis of media reports and exhibition reviews of the four case studies. It explores the actors and factors that affect the image of China through international exhibitions.