China's soft power with Chinese characteristics: the cases of Confucius Institutes and Chinese naval diplomacy

Compound soft power: the BRICS and the multilateralization of soft power

“…12 But more than the other BRICS, China envisions its soft power initiative as principally spearheaded by an ideological offensive, hence the central important of the proliferation of Confucian Institutes throughout China and the world. This is an augmentation of a domestic initiative to fill the void left with the ideological decline of Communism by promoting Confucian values, which themselves also serve to underscore the roles of family, obedience, and authority; thus giving the CPC a greater buttress of ideological support (Zanardi 2016 andKurlantzick 2007).…”

“…In joining weaker nations, Russia and China gain legitimacy as Southern champions; while India, South Africa and Brazil augment an image of rising powers. China's championing of South African inclusion into the BRICS in 2010 was undertaken largely to engender greater influence with third world nations, especially on the African continent (Zanardi 2016).…”

“…Aside from providing large amounts of development aid in Asia and Africa (data on such activities is limited), China has fully paid its debts to the international organizations it is a member of. The international proliferation of Confucian Institutes, as noted, also function as a layering mechanism for China's domestic initiative to fill in the ideological void created by the decline of Communism with Confucian ideas (Zanardi 2016 andStuenkel 2016).…”

“…Finally it has been productive in creating a counter-balance to actions and policies that have the potential to compromise the unilateral soft power of the member states. But notwithstanding the organization's creation of soft power in these areas, still more could be 34 Another interesting soft spin off can be seen in the role of the Confucian Institutes breaking down the monopoly which Taiwan had on teaching non-simplified Chinese abroad, thus degrading the cultural role of Taiwan in the world (Zanardi 2016). 35 In a twist on the soft power dynamic, both China and Russia have recently ramped up their barriers to the infusion of Western soft power, as both nations have been cracking down more robustly on the operations of NGOs within their borders (Chin 2016).…”

“…On smart and cosmopolitan power, seeNye (2011) andGallarotti (2010b).11 The principal Confucian value of ren (benevolence or power of attraction) coincides perfectly with the modern concept of soft power(Zanardi 2016). 12 This is no surprise, since the Chinese state is the most effectively centrally managed nation of the BRICS.…”