Exploring China’s Soft Power: Manifestations of the Chinese Dream in Contemporary Practices of Cultural Diplomacy Lingmin Kong PhD University of York Politics Sep 2019 Abstract This thesis offers two contributions to the literature on Chinese soft power and practices of cultural diplomacy. Firstly, it clarifies the relationship between soft power and cultural diplomacy, situating 'attraction' and 'persuasion' as important mechanisms through which cultural diplomacy builds soft power. To gain analytic traction over the topic of cultural diplomacy, a three-dimensional framework is introduced that explores manifestations through the spheres of media, education, and cultural exchange. Secondly, the thesis develops a comparative review of Chinese cultural diplomacy with three significant global and regional powers, namely Japan, Russia, and the United States. This comparison explores the correspondence between contemporary practices and the 'Chinese Dream' framework that purportedly guides foreign policy action. Overall, the thesis argues that the practices of China’s cultural diplomacy toward Japan, Russia and the United States broadly correspond with Xi Jinping’s Chinese Dream. Practice and paradigm both demonstrate a broad commitment to more confident leadership and projection of Chinese leadership within international politics. However, instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, both the narratives of the Chinese Dream and the practices of China’s cultural diplomacy vary in different cases depending on the targeted country’s culture, political values, and the unique cultural and diplomatic relations with China. This shows the importance of disaggregated case study analysis to reveal the nuances of Chinese cultural diplomacy. 2 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ 6 Declaration ............................................................................................................ 7 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 1: Soft power and cultural diplomacy ...................................................... 15 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 15 1.1 The foundations of soft power ............................................................................... 16 1.2 Cultural diplomacy: the means of mobilizing soft power ........................................ 20 1.3 Soft power and cultural diplomacy in the context of China ..................................... 23 1.4 Case study selection and methodology ................................................................... 28 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 2: The evolution of China’s cultural diplomacy ........................................ 33 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 33 2.1 The seeds of China’s cultural diplomacy ................................................................. 34 2.2 The PRC and cultural diplomacy: from 1949 to 2012 ............................................... 41 2.3 The organizations of China’s cultural diplomacy ..................................................... 49 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 3: Identifying the Chinese Dream ............................................................ 54 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 54 3.1 The Chinese Dream: states of the art of existing literature ...................................... 55 3.2 Identifying the Chinese Dream ............................................................................... 57 3.3 The Chinese Dream and cultural diplomacy: Xi Jinping and the fifth generation of the Chinese leadership (2012-present) ............................................................................... 67 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 4: China’s cultural diplomacy toward Japan ............................................ 72 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 72 4.1 Sino-Japanese Cultural Diplomacy: State of the art of existing literature ................ 73 4.2 The background of China’s cultural diplomacy toward Japan .................................. 74 4.3 The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward Japan—Media exchange .............. 81 4.4 The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward Japan-- Educational exchange ...... 85 4.5. The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward Japan -- Cultural exchange .......... 89 4.6 The Chinese Dream, cultural diplomacy and soft power ......................................... 92 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 96 Chapter 5: China’s cultural diplomacy toward Russia ............................................ 97 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 97 5.1 China-Russia Cultural Diplomacy: State of the art of existing literature ................... 98 5.2 The background of China’s cultural diplomacy toward Russia ............................... 100 5.3 The manifestation of China’s cultural diplomacy toward Russia—Media exchange 104 5.4 The manifestations of China’s Cultural diplomacy toward Russia--Educational exchange ................................................................................................................... 109 5.5 The manifestations of China’s cultural diplomacy toward Russia--Cultural exchanges .................................................................................................................................. 114 5.6 The Chinese Dream, cultural diplomacy and soft power ....................................... 117 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 120 Chapter 6: China’s cultural diplomacy toward the United States .......................... 122 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 122 6.1 Sino-American cultural diplomacy: State of the art of existing literature .............. 123 6.2 The background of China’s cultural diplomacy toward the United States .............. 124 6.3 The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward the United States—Media exchange .................................................................................................................................. 128 6.4 The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward the United States—Educational exchange ................................................................................................................... 133 6.5 The manifestation of cultural diplomacy toward the United States—Cultural exchange ................................................................................................................... 138 6.6 The Chinese Dream, cultural diplomacy and soft power ....................................... 141 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 143 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 144 Summary of the thesis ............................................................................................... 144 4 Contribution to International Relations literature on soft power ................................ 148 Contribution to Chinese studies literature .................................................................. 149 Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... 153 Bibliography ....................................................................................................... 154 5 Acknowledgements Behind this thesis is a whole team of loving and caring individuals who have supported me from beginning to end. First of all, I would like to say a big thank you to my joint supervisors Liam Clegg and Joao Nunes. Thank you for every supervision meeting we had, every single comment you gave, and every conversation we shared. Thank you for always being so caring, so supportive, and so patient. Secondly, I would also like to say thank you to my friends who have provided me with such immense support. Thank you, my friend, Joao, for giving me so much help with my study in my first year. Thank you, sister Bernadette, for doing the proofreading and editing work of the thesis. Thank you, sister Jing, for looking after me as your younger sister in the UK. Last but not least, I would like to give my gratitude to my dearest parents,