Transformation of the Concept of Soft Power in the Political Discourse of China
https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2021-9-1-79-88
Abstract
The concept of “soft power”, which has entered the official lexicon of the Chinese Communist Party, has American roots. At the heart of Joseph Nye’s concept is a call for flexible use of the “intangible power resources” of culture and political ideals to influence the behavior of people in other countries. For the Chinese power groups, Nye’s concept looked like a modern development of the “Art of War” reasoning, so J. Nye’s idea received a deep cross-cultural resonance in China.
The article presents two main aspects of the research carried out by the author of the article on the influence of the concept of “soft power” in the political process. Firstly, the influence of the concept of “soft power” on the political process: the fourth generation of Chinese leaders, led by President of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao, focused on soft power as the basis for the strategy of intercultural communication; Xi Jinping introduces the principle of cultural confidence, including values in the political discourse of modern China in a new era. This defines a new task of “soft power”. Secondly, “soft power” as a tool of political communication: the culture and ideology of Confucianism has a significant influence on the political process communication of the PRC. In these conditions, the ideology of the PRC adapts and uses Confucian concepts as a brand of intercultural communication and a kind of ideological bridge that can serve to ensure the preservation of national identity, form a positive image of the state and strengthen the country’s international position, and will become the basis for internal cohesion. Hence the authorities actively work to adapt “soft power” to the tasks of modern domestic and foreign policy. The studies carried out on this topic have shown that the concept of “soft power” of the PRC is a powerful instrument of the political culture of the PRC and a viable strategy of intercultural communication.
About the Author
L. Yu
Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Yu Lan – post-graduate student of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Mass Communications
125993, Moscow, Leningradsky av., 49
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Review
For citations:
Yu L. Transformation of the Concept of Soft Power in the Political Discourse of China. Communicology. 2021;9(1):79-88. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2021-9-1-79-88
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