China’s use of «soft power» and international image formation from the perspective of cultural diplomacy

Abstract

The article examines the aspects of China’s use of «soft power» and the formation of its international image from the point of view of cultural diplomacy. It is established that the concept of «soft power» in China was first introduced in 1993 by the former member of the CCP Politburo, Wang Huning, and supported by today’s Chinese leader, Xi Jinping.
The essence of cultural diplomacy as a component of public diplomacy in the context of shaping China’s international image is analyzed. Cultural diplomacy as a tool of «soft power» is becoming a relevant direction of China’s policy due to the need to effectively solve national security issues, create a positive international image, and stimulate cultural and economic development.
The Chinese model of cultural diplomacy, which has popularity at the international level and is attractive to both developed and developing countries, has been studied. China has rich cultural resources of «soft power» and has developed its own approach to the implementation of cultural diplomacy, focusing primarily on the attractiveness of its culture, Chinese food, traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts, and more. As part of the «One Belt and One Road» initiative, Beijing is initiating more and more new infrastructure projects and cultural events. To form a positive image, China actively uses its own media channels in order to attract a larger audience.
Based on the use of historical experience, it was determined that, unlike the West and the US, China’s cultural diplomacy started late and lacks experience. China is building a discourse system for China’s cultural diplomacy, resisting and refuting the West’s deliberate efforts to discredit China’s cultural "soft power" exports.
It was determined that the formation of China’s international image depends not only on the exploration of cultural "soft power" resources, but also on how the country will use and spread cultural "soft power". By strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding between civilizations, China can create a better environment for international public opinion to further open it up to the outside world.