Yung LinSoft power is mainly referred to the ability of changing others’ opinions through attraction rather than coercion. When Joseph Nye developed the concept of soft power, he was broadening the perspective of power, which was very much about military and forces in the post-cold war era. Nye widened a new agenda of power regarding culture, political values and foreign policy rather than coercion or payment. Soft power is structured in a context that soft power is a conceptual term relative to hard power but is not separated power definition against hard power. However, in east Asia, soft power seems to be an alternative to hard power. Chinese context of soft power
The Chinese discourse of soft power derives from the US after cold war which China conceives of the US soft power as an effective prescription to its foreign policy. They discovered that the US exerted the state power differently both in terms of the behaviour and resources. Moreover, the discourse of soft power accommodates more of Chinese interpretations. First, soft power in terms of behaviour, China involves in its traditional morals. For example, ‘不戰而屈人之兵’ is concept advocated by an ancient Chinese military strategist, 孫子, Sun Zi. It means to defeat the enemy without raging a war. An ancient Chinese philosopher, Mencius, 孟子, upholds a governing tactic ‘王道’ which means the kingly way as well as governing by morals instead of forces. Soft power shares the similarities to ancient Chinese philosophy and this Chinese soft power defines wider than Nye’s definition of soft power. Second, soft power in terms of resources, China integrate with different components in culture, political values and foreign policy as Nye defined soft power composition. In culture, China stresses upon traditional culture while Nye focuses more on contemporary culture of the US soft power. China fills its cultural traditions, language, literature, philosophy, medicine, cuisine and art into soft power resources and promoted Confucius Institute to the world as the medium introducing Chinese culture. In political values, the US spreads out liberal democracy but China sells economic development model. It claims that many developing countries welcome the idea of development model but it remains contested for its political strategy in the world of liberal-democratic world. In foreign policy, China considers its peaceful rising power to be attractive but it raises doubts for ignoring international law and undermining its soft power. To sum up, China’s soft power features its own definition with ancient morals and traditional culture, economic development model as well as the contested diplomatic style. Taiwanese context of soft power Soft power in Taiwan manifests more practically than academically. Taiwan soft power in terms of behaviour, due to lack of military forces, international legitimacy and diplomatic relations, Taiwan appropriates soft power as a crucial state ability to change other’s preferences by persuasion. The resources of Taiwan soft power become indispensable element constitute the state power. In Taiwan’s context, soft power is more of a substitute for hard power resources. In culture, Taiwan uses the traditional form of Chinese characters and convinces the world that it is more connected to traditional Chinese culture; however, due to political disputes inside of Taiwan society, less emphasis is put on Chinese traditional culture but on indigenous Taiwanese culture. In political values, Taiwan sets democracy as main components of soft power; however, it should have attracted more to a liberal democratic world but has been limited because the cross-strait relationship is a variable to Taiwan’s international status. In foreign policy, Taiwan actively engage in international issues such as human right, medical resources and trade investment through variety of non-governmental organizations. The diplomatic style transfers from bilateral diplomacy to public diplomacy and multilateral diplomacy. It finds Taiwan an access to the world. To sum up, Taiwan’s soft power means broader than Nye’s definition and is characteristic for its valuable resources but limited effectiveness due to the cross-strait relations. Comparing the context of soft power between China and Taiwan, it is obvious that soft power is given more meanings than Nye’s soft power definition. Or better say, Chinese and Taiwanese soft power are de-westernized as it is more of the context that how the local society in China and Taiwan understand and see soft power. Copyright@NEApproach mini archive
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