Chinas Rise and Its Discursive Power Strategy

Kejin Zhao
Associate Professor, Tsinghua University
Senior Fellow, The Chahar Institute
Discursive ower is regar!e! "y the Chinese govern#ent as one of the #ost i#ortant goals
of China$s foreign olicy% This aer !iscusses the real intentions "ehin! the Chinese
govern#ent$s suort for the concet of !iscourse ower% China$s insistence on the concet of
socialis# with Chinese characteristics !oes not translate easily% The e&act #eaning is not clear an!
China !oes not atte#t to e&lain it in 'estern ter#s% 'hy !oes China use this aroach an! what
!oes it hoe to gain "y !oing so( To a!!ress these )uestions, this aer !raws on interviews with
#ore than *+ Chinese govern#ent officials an! ro#inent scholars con!ucte! since ,++-, an!
i!entifies reasons for the e#ergence of this heno#enon within China% ,++. #ar/e! the -+th
anniversary of China$s 0efor# an! 1ening2U Policy initiate! "y Deng 3iaoing% Although
China has alrea!y joine! the #ainstrea# international co##unity through this olicy, one of the
#ain fin!ings of the aer is that China !oes not want to "e a #e#"er of 'estern syste#%
Instea!, China is in the rocess of !eveloing a uni)ue tye of nation2"uil!ing to ro#ote the
Chinese #o!el in the co#ing years% Ulti#ately, China wants to reali4e the revival of nationhoo!%
China is currently for#ulating its !iscursive strategy an! u"lic !ilo#acy in or!er to ro#ote
this ulti#ate goal%

About the Author:
Dr% Kejin Zhao is Associate Professor in Institute of International Stu!ies an! Deuty
Director of Center for Sino2U%S% 0elations at Tsinghua University, as well as a Senior Fellow at
the Chahar Institute% Fro# August ,+++ to 5uly ,++*, he stu!ie! in the School of International
0elations an! Pu"lic Affairs atFu!an University, an! receive! his PhD in International 0elations%
6e wor/e! at the Center for A#erican Stu!ies at Fu!an University until ,++7 ,after which he
#ove! to Tsinghua University in 8eijing% 6e has u"lishe! #ore than 9+ aers in national
aca!e#ic journals an! u"lishe! "oo/s on such toics as the institutional stu!y on U%S%
Congressional lo""ing activities, glo"al civil society, an! the nation state% 6is current research
focuses on u"lic !ilo#acy an! Sino2U%S% relations%
:#ail; kejinzhao@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
1
Introduction
The olitics of !iscourse are one of the #ost recent toics !e"ate! a#ong scholars of
international relations% Actually, !iscourse stu!ies ha! "een a very i#ortant art of linguistics
transition in I0 aca!e#ic co##unity since <7.+, that reviously e#erging fro# ost2colonialis#,
an! "efore fro# ost2#o!ernis#% They nearly all e#hasi4e !iscourse as a /in! of ower
structure an! analy4e the ower of !iscourse through the lens of !o#inant characteristics such as
culture, i!eology an! other nor#s% They consist of the ways we thin/ an! tal/ a"out a su"ject
#atter, influencing an! reflecting the ways we act in relation to it% This is the "asic re#ise of
!iscourse theory%
<
In 'estern2li"eral societies, !iscourses of ower are al#ost e&clusively
a!versarial% Power ten!s to "e associate! with co#etition at "est, or coercion an! !o#ination at
worst% The ways we act in relation to a su"ject is not the #ost i#ortant thing, "ut rather it is the
ways who thin/ an! tal/ a"out it% 0egar!less whether their i!eas on !iscourse or not, the ower of
!iscourse has alrea!y "een oulari4e! insi!e the aca!e#ic co##unity% =early all owers, not
only the esta"lishe! great owers such as the Unite! States, "ut also the rising owers such as
China, 5aan an! In!ia,, increasingly see/ !iscursive ower a!vantages through various #eans%
8ase! on the lessons fro# the Cultural 0evolution, China has /et a low rofile an!
rag#atic osture on worl! stage since <7.+s% :secially since <77+s, China has ursue! a olicy
of not carrying the flag, not ta/ing the lea!, an! not ursuing worl! hege#ony un!er the gui!ance
of Deng 3iaoing$s strategic aroach of >Keeing a ?ow Profile@ ATao Buang Cang 6uiD%
:ffectively, China currently e#loys a olicy of not arguing with others on !iscursive ower, an!
is just focusing on !o#estic #o!erni4ation% A very oular i!io# in China resente! "y Deng
3iaoing is that the goo! cat is that which can catch rats regar!less of the "lac/ cats or white one%
As a result, #ost of Chinese eole have increasingly in!ulge! the#selves in #aterialistic
hilosohy an! ten! not to argue !isute! issues a#ong the#selves, an! even with foreign
counterarts%
The situation has change! since ,++-, however, as the Chinese govern#ent "egan to revise
the gui!eline of >/eeing a low rofile@ % The new generation of lea!ers who too/ ower trie! to
lay a #ore active role in glo"al affairs% Influence! "y ChinaEs accession to the 'orl! Tra!e
1rgani4ation in ,++<, an!, su"se)uently, the ensuing glo"al financial crisis, China$s rise has "een
the focal oint of glo"al oinion% Fost of !iscussions aroun! the worl! focus on China$s rise use a
tone of susicion an! threat% In or!er to offset the >China threat theoryG, the Chinese govern#ent
"egan to ay #ore an! #ore attention to the ower of !iscourse% As a result, a "ig strategic !e"ate
ca#aign on eaceful rise was launche! "y Chinese govern#ent in late ,++- an! early in ,++9%
Fany high level lea!ers inclu!ing Presi!ent 6u 5intao, Pre#ier 'en 5ia"ao an! Hice Presi!ent
Zeng Iinghong joine! the !e"ates on !ifferent occasions% 8ase! on the !e"ates, China for#ulate!
a series of new strategic concets of eaceful !evelo#ent an! a har#onious worl!% :secially
"ecause of the 8eijing 1ly#ic Ba#e an! glo"al financial crisis in ,++., Chinese lea!ers, an!
even general u"lic, "eco#e #ore an! #ore confi!ent in their own way of governing econo#y
an! "egun to see/ #ore recognition an! ac/nowle!ge#ent in the worl! co##unity%
1n 1cto"er ,., ,++., the Thir! China20ussia :cono#ic an! Tra!e Su##it Foru# convene!
in Foscow, an! China$s Pri#er 'en 5ia"ao, for the first ti#e, a!!resse! u"licly China$s suort
1
refer, for e&a#le, to Foucault, <7J,, <7.+K 6all, <77JK Phillis L 6ar!y, ,++,D
2
of the e#erging an! !eveloing countries to ro#ote their oinions in refor#ing the international
financial syste#%
,
Su"se)uently, Presi!ent 6u 5intao e&resse! si#ilar concerns a"out ower of
!iscourse on B,+ su##its in 'ashington an! ?on!on fro# ,++. to ,++7% As a #ilestone,
Presi!ent 6u 5intao atten!e! the <<th #eeting for Chinese !ilo#ats hel! in 8eijing on 5uly <J2
,+, ,++7 an! urge! Chinese envoys to join the glo"al efforts for ro#oting econo#ic growth,
safeguar! national sovereignty an! security, fir#ly follow the one2China olicy an! #aintain
sta"ility% In the co#ing years, Presi!ent 6u wants Chinese !ilo#ats to ro#ote a China that is
#ore influential olitically, #ore co#etitive econo#ically, #ore legiti#ate, an! #ore #oral
a"roa! as the #ain strategic o"jectives in the co#ing years%
-
The state#ent is consi!ere! as the
#ost secific e&osition of China$s !iscursive ower strategy% Since then, other lower an! high2
level officials such as Fr% ?i Changchun, Fr% 5ia Iinglin, "oth Stan!ing Fe#"ers of CPC
Polit"uro, also have increasingly e#hasi4e! the necessity for China to use !iscursive ower%
9
Clearly, through #ore an! #ore state#ents on ower of !iscourse "y Chinese high2level lea!ers in
recent years, we co#e to conclusion that enhancing ChinaEs international voice an! wining the
!iscursive ower aroun! the worl! has "eco#e an i#ortant art of ChinaEs foreign strategy%
Co#are! with the !e"ates an! ro#otion on !iscursive ower "y high level lea!ers, the
scholars have not ai! enough attention to China$s !iscursive strategy, "ut focuse! #ore energy on
the relate! toics of soft ower an! u"lic !ilo#acy% This aer will as/ how China un!erstan!s
!iscursive ower, why China uses this aroach as one of the #ost i#ortant strategic illars in
the co#ing years, an! what !oes China hoe to gain "y !oing so% To a!!ress these )uestions, the
aer !raws on interviews with #ore than *+ Chinese govern#ent officials an! ro#inent
scholars, an! atte#ts to i!entify reasons for the e#ergence of this heno#enon within China%
Chinas Understanding of Discursive Power
China always attache! i#ortance to international !iscourse ower% 8ac/ !uring the
foun!ing of the country, the Chinese lea!er Fao Ze!ong ointe! out that, G'ho is inferior to
Far& is not a Far&istK who is e)ual to Far& is also not a Far&istK only who "etter than Far& is a
Far&ist%G
5
Intereste! in the ursuit of !iscourse ower, the CPC Central Co##ittee esta"lishe! the
rincile of in!een!ence in Zunyi Conference in 5anuary, <7-*, an! !eci!e! to #aintain a certain
free!o# of !iscourse ower in the Co#intern% In or!er to !isel the s/eticis# of Gif the eole
living in #ountain valley can ro!uce Far&is#G in arty, after the rectification #ove#ent in
CanEan in <79<, the Chinese Co##unists e#loye! Faois# as the gui!ing osition an! stoo! u
to the Soviet Union in on the !iscourse ower% After Peole$s 0eu"lic of China was foun!e!,
fro# Dece#"er <7*7 to Fe"ruary <7M+, in GConversation to Political :cono#ics of Soviet UnionG
Ae&certD, Fao Ze!ong ointe! out #ore clearly that, Gthe Co##unist Parties of any country an!
the thin/ers of any country #ust create new theories, write new "oo/s an! have their own
2
'en 5ia"ao, Gwor/ together to create a new situation in Sino20ussian econo#ic an! tra!e cooeration,G GPeoleEs
DailyG, 1cto"er ,7, ,++.%
3
'u Ii#in, GThe <<th #eeting of !ilo#atic envoys, 6u 5intao re)uest for greater !ilo#atic s/illsG, GPeoleEs
DailyG, 5uly ,<, ,++7%
4
?iao 'engen, Gthe national u"licity the Council of Finisters hel! in 8eijing,G GPeoleEs DailyG, 5anuary *, ,+<+,
<st%
5
See 'ang 0en4hong, GA Fo!el of 0ealistic G, in G Selecte! 'or/s of :ighty2five Anniversary of the "irth of
Co#ra!e Fao Ze!ong G, 8eijing; PeoleEs Pu"lishing 6ouse, <7J7, % -*%
3
theorists%G
6
In or!er to !efen! ChinaEs !iscourse ower, China an! the Soviet Union launche! great
!e"ates aroun! the !ictatorshi of the roletariat, Far&is#, revisionis#, etc% % So#e of the# even
le! to the ulti#ate "rea/!own of the Sino2Soviet alliance% Fro# the refor# an! oening u,
though China trie! to #aintain the low2/ey attitu!e of noninterference overseas, it still en!eavore!
to see/ the new ivot of !iscourse ower !o#estically an! #a!e efforts to i#rove its i!eology
an! the syste# of !iscourse ower% After the great !e"ate on Gthe criterion of truthG in the
seventies of the ,+th century, the Gtwo whateversG overthrew, Faois# evaluate! scientificly, a set
of syste#s of !iscourse ower of the socialis# with Chinese characteristics, the i#ortant thought
of Three 0eresents, scientific !evelo#ent concet, har#onious society an! har#onious worl!
!eveloe! an! esta"lishe!, they all resulte! in the !o#estic G!iscourse owerG of Far&is# in
China% In recent years, Chinese lea!ers have increasingly e#hasi4e! the !iscourse ower at ho#e
an! overseas% China hoes to e&an! the influence of !iscourse ower of socialis# with Chinese
characteristics a"roa! through the strategic efforts of !iscursive ower, esecially in or!er to
!elegiti#i4e the GChina threatG theory overseas, !isel the !ou"ts of other countries cause! "y the
rai! increase of ChinaEs econo#ic strength, an! fully integrate into the international co##unity%
6owever, there are still so#e incorrect views of un!erstan!ing of ChinaEs !iscourse ower , an!
oinions are not entirely unifor#% =ot only the lea!ersE !escrition of the !iscourse ower is
vague, "ut there are still #any !ifferences "etween the !ecision2#a/ers in !ilo#acy,
roagan!a, foreign affairs an! grous of scholars, esecially since the coor!ination an!
consultation #echanis#s "etween various !eart#ents are not erfect ro!ucing a lot of
ara!o&ical "ehaviour on the issue of the !iscourse ower causing the international co##unity to
"e very confuse!% Secifically, there are currently five views of un!erstan!ing of ChinaEs
international !iscourse ower;
First, some regard discursive power as the right o! spea", deeming that as #ong as one
have the right to spea", $e wi## has the discourse power% So#e articles interret the so2calle!
right of sea/ as the right to sea/ without real un!erstan!ing, or even thin/ that Gright of sea/G
is the right to "e hear! an! Ghave a sayG
J
% Such oinion is very co##on in China$s u"lic #e!ia,
an! it assu#es that the oulari4ation of China$s oinion #ainly lies in see/ing to sea/, an!
critici4es the #onooly of the right to sea/ "y 'estern countries% This oinion is not accurate, as
the #oral criti)ue of 'estern !iscourse is inaroriate "ecause the !iscourse ower of 'estern
countries is not only !een!ent on the osition of the #onooly right to sea/% The core of
!iscourse ower consists of ower relations, an! the nature of !iscourse ower is not relate! to
any GrightG, "ut rather to GowerG% In other wor!s, the right to sea/ !oes not #ean whether to
have the right to sea/ or not, "ut rather it is reflecte! through language, an! that such ower
relations e&an! through !iscourse relations%
Second, some regard discourse power as the power discourse, deeming that as #ong as
the nationa# strength increases, discursive power grows according#y% Consi!ering the
international olitical hu#iliation e&erience of China since #o!ern ti#es, so#e scholars a!here
to the i!ea that "ac/war! nations ten! to get "eaten u, una"le to o"tain significant ower
!iscourse%
.
Such oinion is co##on a#ong Chinese eole, it is inaroriate to ut the right of
sea/ into the ower of sea/, who !ee# that the /ey to enhance ChinaEs right of sea/ is to
6
Fao Ze!ong; Gthe Te&t"oo/ of Political :cono#ics of Soviet UnionG Ae&certDG, inG 'or/s of Fao Ze!ong,
GHolu#e ., 8eijing; PeoleEs Pu"lishing 6ouse, <777, % <+7%
7
Cite! fro# Zhang Zhi4hou, Gthe )uality of !iscourse; the /ey to enhancing the international !iscourse,G G0e!
Flag PresentationG, <9
th
, ,+<+%
8
Zhang Buo4uo, Gthe right to sea/ on several issuesG, in GSee/ing TruthG #aga4ine, ,++7, =o% 7%
4
enhance ChinaEs national strength an! that the !iscourse is only the e&ression of ower% Ta/e
China as an e&a#le% Although there is no international right to sea/, , the oinion that the rise of
Chinese ower will certainly "ring a"out the right of sea/ u is wrong% In fact, there !oes not
e&ist a correlation "etween the !iscourse, an! econo#ic or #ilitary strength% The wea/er arty of
#ilitary strength #ay also have #ore right to sea/ than the stronger arty% Hatican, for e&a#le,
it is a Gstate within a country G surroun!e! "y Italy, "ut no"o!y will !eny that it has #ore
international !iscourse than Italy%
7
Therefore, i#roving the Chinese !iscourse #ust not only lace
hoes on rising of national strength, "ut also ay attention to the internal logic of the for#ulate!
!iscourse, esecially co#"ines the rules of !iscourse an! national strength an! that can win the
international !iscourse%
&hird, some regard discourse power as the power o! media, deeming that once you
have the power o! media, you wi## master the right o! spea"% A large nu#"er of scholars in
journalis# an! co##unication "elieve that the right of sea/ is !eter#ine! "y whoever controls
the #e!ia% The grou to who# the #e!ia "elongs, , will naturally srea! their !iscourse in the
#e!ia% The #ost fun!a#ental reason why China lac/s international !iscourse is "ecause it !oes
not control the #e!ia well enough%
<+
In or!er to enhance ChinaEs right of sea/, it nee! to oen
#e!ia co##unication channels to worl!, such as oen Chinese networ/ television stations, "uil!
u a Chinese #e!ia coalition, organi4e foreign languages #e!ia, or ro#ote CCTH an! C=C in
the worl!% In!ee!, ChinaEs right to sea/ is not only effecte! "y the relatively wea/ #e!ia
technology, such as ina!e)uate e&ternal co##unication, language "arriers, the lac/ of initiative of
set on international issues an! so on, "ut fun!a#entally, it !oes not !een! on the #e!ia% A
ersuasive case is that !esite the fact that the Unite! States hol!s the worl!Es largest #e!ia
#achine an! significantly increase! the inut of #e!ia "roa!cast to Fi!!le :ast2Persian Bulf
region since ,++<, the anti2A#erican senti#ent rose rai!ly in Fi!!le :ast since ,++< an! the
right of sea/ of Unite! States in the region was !a#age! seriously%
<<
Fourth, some regard discourse power as so!t power, deeming that the right o! spea"
depends on the mora# standards and cu#tura# strength, as #ong as the country's cu#ture and
va#ues and propagated, the right o! spea" wi## e(pand% Since 5oseh =ye of 6arvar! University
roose! the concet of Gsoft owerG, eole turne! attention fro# tangi"le Ghar! owerG of
territory, ar#a#ents, #ilitary, scientific an! technological rogress, econo#ic !evelo#ent an!
geograhic e&ansion, #ilitary co#"at etc% to the #ore intangi"le Gsoft owerG
<,
of culture,
values, influence ower, ethics, cultural insiration etc%% So#e scholars assu#e there is lin/
"etween the right to sea/ with soft ower% They !ee# that as a countryEs #oral stan!ar!s rise, its
a"ility to for#ulate !iscourse will also e&an!%
<-
=ee!less to say, a countryEs cultural an! #oral
level is an i#ortant con!ition to o"tain the international !iscourse, "ut the rise of cultural an!
#oral level !oes not necessarily lea! to the enhance#ent of !iscourse% Fa#iliarity with a country$s
9
Bui!o Kno, Hati/an; Die Facht !er Paeste AGHatican; The Power of the PaacyG D% Funich; C% 8ertels#ann
Pu"lishers, <77J%
10
'ang Beng,G"uil!ing worl!2class #e!ia an! actively see/ international !iscourseG, GChinese journalists,G ,++7
=o% .K ?iu 3iaoying, G1n first2class #e!ia an! ChinaEs voice eraG, GFo!ern Co##unicationG ,+<+, =o% ,, % M2
<+% ?iang Kaiyin, G1n the international !iscourse an! the Chinese i!ea of e&an!ing the international !iscourse,G
GConte#orary 'orl! an! Socialis#,G ,++7 =o%-%
11
Pew Blo"al Attitu!es Project 0eort, America's Image Slips, But Allies Share U.S. Concerns Over Iran, Hamas:
No Gloal !arming Alarm in the U.S., China, 'ashington D%C%; Pew 0esearch Center, 5une <-, ,++M%
12
5oseh =ye, The Powers to ?ea!, =C 1&for! University Press, ,++.K 5oseh S% =ye, 5r%, Soft Power; The Feans
to Success in 'orl! Politics, Colora!o; Perseus 8oo/s Brou, ,++9%
13
Bao Zhan&iang; GCultural PowerG, 8eijing; Pe/ing University Press, ,++J :!itionK Tang Dai&inging; GSoft
Power Strategy,G 8eijing; PeoleEs Pu"lishing 6ouse, ,++. :!itionK 'u 5ian#in, GCulture is the core of cultural
!ilo#acy soft ower to #oisten things silentlyG GPeoleEs DailyG, August <J, ,++J%
5
culture an! history will not auto#atically translate into international !iscourse% Transfor#ation of
a countryEs cultural soft ower to !iscourse also nee!s strategic ivot% Through !ilo#acy, tra!e,
roagan!a, international non2govern#ental e&changes, an! #any other channels, the integration
all asects of cross2cultural an! cross2"or!er e&changes, the coor!ination all of resources, the
cultural soft ower a!vantages coul! "e translate! into increase! !iscursive ower%
Fi!th, some regard discourse power as a dip#omatic s"i##, deeming that the discourse
depends #arge#y on po#itica# operation and the idea contribution, as #ong as enhance the
dip#omacy abi#ity, the discourse wi## strengthened% So#e Chinese researchers of international
relations an! foreign affairs regar! the !iscourse as an i#ortant in!icator of national !ilo#atic
s/ills, analy4ing the !iscourse issue un!er the "ac/!ro of the rise of #o!ern China, consi!ering it
an integral art of the national gran! strategy% In this oint of view, the core of ChinaEs !iscourse
consists of olitical ower an!, as China grows, it shoul! "e reare! to assu#e #ore
international resonsi"ility, ta/e a #ore transarent foreign olicy, focus #ore on relations with
neigh"oring an! :uroean countries, , an! when the strategic reutation an! econo#ic interests
are in conflict, a!ot the rincile that the econo#ic interests are su"or!inate to strategic
restige%
<9
China only has two choices; China coul! "eco#e a art of the 'est E/ingshiE, "ut it
#eans that it #ust change the olitical syste# an! "eco#e a !e#ocratic country% Another choice
is to esta"lish ChinaEs own syste# which aears to "e the current !irection of ChinaEs foreign
strategy%
<*
An! still scholars #a/e it clear that China shoul! "e "rave to challenge the universal
values of the 'est an! esta"lish ChinaEs own set of !iscourse%
<M
There are scholars who "elieve
that the international !iscourse reflects a countryEs olitical oeration a"ility an! i!ea contri"ution
a"ility% Political oeration a"ility #ainly e#"o!ie! in agen!a2setting, rule2#a/ing caacity an!
international #o"ili4ation a"ilityK i!ea contri"ution a"ility #ainly e#"o!ie! in the a"ility of
roosing an! ro#oting the new i!eas an! new concets% To enhance ChinaEs international
!iscourse, we #ust greatly i#rove ChinaEs olitical oeration a"ility an! i!ea contri"ution
a"ility%
<J
This oinion catures the /ey of the !iscourse that the #ore clearer olitical goals are,
the #ore #ature th entire syste# is, the greater the international !iscourse will "e% 6owever,
li#iting the scoe of !iscourse to olitical an! !ilo#atic factors #ay "ring short2ter#
enhance#ent of the !iscourse, "ut, in the long2ter#, you cannot consoli!ate it entirely% China !oes
not only nee! to esta"lish the !iscourse olitically, "ut also econo#ically, socially, an! culturally
in or!er toto consoli!ate the #aterial foun!ation an! social infrastructure for the !iscourse%
All of these #isun!erstan!ings are not only very co##on a#ong the lea!ers "ut also in the
u"lic% The #ain ro"le# is that the un!erstan!ing of ChinaEs !iscourse co#es #ore fro# a just a
few consi!erations an! !oes not convey the real #eaning of the !iscourse, li#iting the !iscourse
strategy an! its i#le#entation% The reasons why such cognitive confusions e&ist are #ainly
relate! to ChinaEs long2stan!ing wea/ osition in #o!ern history an! the tra!itional Chinese
culture% The long2ter# wea/ osition cause! China to #isun!erstan! that only as a country
"eco#es strong it will have !iscursive ower, regar!less whether or not it rooses a new
!iscourse an! whether the !iscourse itself is rational an! legiti#ate% In a!!ition, the Chinese
tra!itional culture regar!s the !iscourse as the #onooly of so#e"o!y with /nowle!ge, #oral an!
14
Can 3uetong, G the core of soft ower is olitical owerG,% GBlo"al Ti#esG, Fay ,,, ,++J%
15
Can 3uetong, 3u 5in waiting for; GThought an! Its I#lications for worl! hege#onyG, 8eijing; 'orl!
Knowle!ge Press, ,++7 e!ition%
16
Pan 'ei; GDare to struggle with the 'est for olitical i!easG, GBlo"al Ti#esG, 5anuary ,., ,++.%
17
3u 5in, Golitical oeration, i!eas contri"ution a"ility an! international !iscourse,G Ggreen leafG in ,++7, =o% *%
6
status, stan!ar!s an! the !ifferences of science an! technology levels an! ethics "etween China
an! 'estern also li#its Chinese to un!erstan! the nature of !iscourse%
The !iscourse is the concet a!ore! "y #any ost2#o!ern thin/ers such as Fichel Foucault%
In view of these thin/ers, the !iscourse is e&resse! ower relations hels to "uil! an! #aintain a
certain social or!er which is generally consi!ere! the or!er in /eeing with the interests of
!o#inator #ostly%
18
Discursive ower consists of three ele#ents; First, the socia# !acts is the
!undamenta# base o! the discursive power% 1nly those owers that can #aintain an! overturn the
social or!er can o"tain the !iscursive ower% 'ho controls the !iscourse also controls the reality
create! "y the !iscourse% Second, discourse ru#es is the core o! the discursive power% ?anguage
has its own rules an! the sy#"ols are just #eans of !iscourse, their urose is to create or!er% To
o"tain the !iscourse, the core is to esta"lish si#ilar rules of !iscourse an! whether this rule is fully
"ase! on linguistic rules is not i#ortant% &hird, the discourse practice is the pivot o!
discursive power% 8etween the !iscursive facts an! !iscursive rules, there still nee! an
inter#e!iary lin/ to unite the two, an! that is !iscourse ractice% For#ation of !iscourse cannot "e
!ivorce! fro# !iscourse ractice, just as !iscourse ractice #a/es the !iscourse a reality%
So, !iscursive ower is so#e /in! of relation ower which !erives fro# ositioning social
factors "y secific !iscourse an! fre)uently interactive ractice% An! !iscourse is "ase! on secific
rules an! logic that in turn are "ase! on the !iscourse fact% It relies on !iscourse ractice to
achieve the connection "etween !iscourse rules an! !iscourse facts an!, thus, for#s secific
ower relations% Fro# the international olitical stu!ies view, the !iscursive ower of a country
ri#arily !een!s on articular !iscourse facts an! whether clear of the osition of the ower% If
the osition is not clear, then the foun!ation of !iscourse facts is not strong an! so it cannot o"tain
international !iscourse% At the sa#e ti#e, a countryEs !iscourse is also su"ject to the !iscourse
rules an! !iscourse ractices% If a country cannot esta"lish the !iscourse rules reflecte! "y its
osition of ower relations effectively, it cannot reinforce the relationshi "etween !iscourse
syste# an! !iscourse facts, !a#aging the !iscourse% 1nly to unite the !iscourse rules an!
!iscourse facts with the !iscourse ractice, can garter greater international !iscursive ower%
Discursive Power as Chinas Rising Strategy
The fact that China has recogni4e! the i#ortance of international !iscursive ower is
closely relate! to its accu#ulate! econo#ic gains attri"ute! to the refor# an! oening2u
rogra#% 1ver the ast three !eca!es, a sustaina"le econo#ic growth has greatly enhance!
China$s co#rehensive national strength an! continuously e&an!e! its overseas interests%
Feanwhile, China$s e#ergence has arouse! worl!wi!e attention, an! !uring the last !eca!e of the
,+
th
century in articular, various unreasona"le concets /et sringing u on the international
arena, such as >The China Threat@, >The Collase of China@, >China$s :&orts Inflation@,
>China$s :cono#ic Browth :&aggerate!@, >China As An 1ortunity@, >0F8 Areciation@,
>China$s Threat on :nergy@, >China$s Flourishing Age@, >China$s 0esonsi"ility@ an! >ChinaEs
=eocolonialis#@% These conjectures are full of !ou"ts on China an! have "eco#e o"stacles in its
!ilo#atic activities%
<7
A#ong these oinions, so#e are well2#eaning, so#e are unfair reju!ices,
18
Fichel Foucault% The Archaeology of Knowle!ge% Translate! "y A%F% Sheri!an S#ith% =ew Cor/; Pantheon
8oo/s, <7J,K Fichel Foucault, Disciline an! Punish; The 8irth of the Prison% Trans% Alan Sheri!an% =ew Cor/;
Hintage, <7JJ, % -2.%
19
0ichar! 8ernstein an! 0oss 6% Funro, "he Coming Con#lict $ith China=ew Cor/; Alfre! A% Knof, <77JK
6enry Kissinger, >?et$s Cooerate 'ith China,@ "he !ashington %ost, 5uly M, <77J, %CJK Bor!on B% Chang, "he
Coming Collapse o# China, =ew Cor/; 0an!o# 6ouse, ,++<K 0o"ert 8% Zoellic/, Deuty Secretary of State,G
7
an! so#e are consiracies concocte! "y certain countries to 'esterni4e% Therefore, it is regar!e!
as a long2ter# strategic tas/ "y China$s senior govern#ental officials to cast as illegiti#ate the
>China Threat Theory@%
,+
:ver2changing international oinions have sha/en Deng 3iaoing$s >=on2Disute@ rincile%
A rogressing China nee!s to esta"lish its own international !iscursive ower an! !e"ates on this
issue has "een on the usurge in !ifferent circles% For e&a#le, the linguistic fiel! ca#e u with
the !iscursive ower of the Chinese language, the co##ercial in!ustry aeals for the !iscursive
ower on the issue of rice, i!eological sectors call for the !iscursive ower in ro#otion, an!
!ilo#atic organs want !iscursive ower in for#ulating international olitical agen!a, etc%%
,<
Although so#e roosals #ay have !istorte! the original i!ea of >!iscursive ower@, narrowing
!own or generali4ing the original concet, it can never "e !enie! that the Chinese consciousness
of international !iscursive ower is growing rai!ly% :secially after its accession to the 'T1 in
,++<, China successively won the right to hol! the ,++. 1ly#ic Ba#es an! the 'orl! :&o
,+<+% Chinese lea!ers have "eco#e increasingly aware that China shoul! "e accusto#e! to "e the
focus of international attention, an! it shoul! actively intro!uce the worl! with a #ore genuine
vision of China, creating an o"jective international oinion a"out her an! "uil!ing an i#age of a
resonsi"le ower%
,,
For this urose, the Chinese Bovern#ent, since the early ,++-, has ut
!iscursive ower on an ever higher lace connoting strategic significance% It has gra!ually
for#ulate! a strategy for !iscursive ower which contains setting facts straight, innovating rules,
an! #a/ing "rea/throughs in ractice%
)% Discursive !acts and strategic ob*ectives
Certain o"jectives of !iscursive strategy are generally !eter#ine! "y a state on the "asis of
ju!g#ents of !iscursive facts% China use! to "e a nation en!owe! with strong international
!iscursive ower% Five thousan! years of history has create! a rich culture, e&erting far2reaching
i#act on the !iscursive attern on China$s neigh"oring areas an! the whole worl! at large% Since
the esta"lish#ent of the =ew China in <797 an! against the "ac/!ro of the Col! 'ar, the
international !iscursive ower of China$s revolution, relying on Faois# an! a series of "oth
!o#estic an! !ilo#atic strategies, ha! "een stresse! "y the worl!wi!e socialist ca# an! other
!eveloing countries% China$s international !iscursive ower was not challenge! until the
i#le#entation of econo#ic refor#s an! the oening2u rogra#% Things starte! to !eteriorate
when China choose to join the international syste# !o#inate! "y the 'estern values% Struc/ "y
the en! of the Col! 'ar an! glo"ali4ation, China san/ into a >structural wea/ness@
,-
on the issue
of !iscursive ower% 8esi!es, as China ursue! the rincile of hi!ing oneEs caa"ilities an!
'hither China; Fro# Fe#"ershi to 0esonsi"ility(G 0e#ar/s to =ational Co##ittee on U%S%2China 0elations,
=ew Cor/ City, Sete#"er ,<,,++*,htt;NNwww%state%govNsN!Nre#N*-M.,%ht#% C% Fre! 8ergsten, &A Partnershi of
:)uals; 6ow 'ashington Shoul! 0eson! to ChinaEs :cono#ic Challenge@, 'oreign A##airs, Hol% .J, =o% 9, 5uly2
August ,++., %*J2M7K 5oseh S% =ye 5r%, >The 0ise of ChinaEs Soft Power@, !all Street (ournal, Dece#"er ,7,
,++*K Con!olee44a 0ice, >0ethin/ing the =ational Interest A#erican 0ealis# for a =ew 'orl!@, 'oreign A##airs,
5ulyNAugust ,++.K 5ohn I/en"erry, The 0ise of China an! the Future of the 'est, 'oreign A##airs,
5anuaryNFe"ruary, ,++.%
20
?i 8ao4hong an! ?v 6ong"o, Guar)ing against an) %reventing #rom the !estern Hostile 'orces* Conspirac+ to
!esterni,e an) Separate China- .e) 'lag /anuscript, *
th
H1?, ,++<K Tea# of Co#liersK 0eference for the
CPC$s Decision to Strengthen the Party$s 0uling Power, 8eing; Peole$s Pu"lishing 6ouse, ,++*%
21
Zhang 5ianjing; China*s 0iplomac+ 1nters an 1ra /ar2e) $ith Surging 0iscourse A$areness, !in)o$ to the
South, M
th
H1?, ,++.%
22
5in Canrong, etc%; Big %o$er*s .esponsiilit+, 8eijing; China 0en#in University Press, ,+<<K Chief :!itor ?iu
5ie; The way to "e resonsi"le ower, 8eijing; Current Affairs Press, ,++J%
23
Zhang Zhi4hou; Iuality of Discourse; Key for :nhancing International Discursive Power, .e) 'lag /anuscript,
<9
th
H1?, ,+<+
8
"i!ing oneEs ti#e, it re#aine! silent on several strategic issues, which has greatly constraine!
China$s !iscursive ower an! reciitate! its struggle with three contra!ictions involving
!iscursive ressure fro# "oth ho#e an! a"roa!%
First, in terms o! its economic system, China is !acing discursive positioning whether to
be a socia#ist or a capita#istic state% For instance, on the !isutes over >China$s #ar/et econo#y
status@, China has "een un!er consistent !iscursive ressure fro# the international co##unity%
The reason is that China is a >heterogeneous@ socialist country%
,9
:ver since the <77+s, the
>failure@ of the socialist ca# i#ose! unrece!ente! ressure on China in the asect of i!eology%
The 'estern !iscursive attac/s use! ter#s such as >Bran! Failure,@ >Collase of China,@ >China
Threat,@ >China$s 0esonsi"ility,@ >China$s =eocolonialis#,@ or the current >China$s Arrogance%@
Socialis# with the Chinese characteristics has re#aine! un!er high ressure fro# the 'estern
!iscursive ower%
,*
Second, in terms o! socia# character, China is !acing discursive positioning to be a
deve#oped or deve#oping country% :ntering the new century, China has gra!ually grown into a
new econo#ic giant gaining worl!wi!e attention% China$s international status an! influence are
growing !ra#atically, an! !ue to certain !evelo#ent characteristics that are !ifferent fro# other
!eveloing countries, the international co##unity has "eco#e s/etical of China$s i!entity as a
!eveloing country an! #any !eveloing nations no longer treat China as an e)ual counterart%
Although China has initially ta/en on the shae of a giant country in light of its aggregate!
econo#ic ower, the si4e of the oulation has offset the significance of its BDP growth% For a
long ter# China will re#ain a !eveloing country as !eter#ine! "y its social !evelo#ent level
an! a great ga in er caita !evelo#ent level co#are! with !eveloe! states% There is a
!iscreancy "etween the characteristics of a suerower an! of a !eveloing country, !riving
China into crises of !iscursive ruture when e&ressing itself to the outsi!e worl!%
,M
&hird, in terms o! va#ues, China is !acing discursive positioning to recogni+e the so,
ca##ed universa# va#ues or adhering to the Chinese mode#% In the conte&t of the current
glo"ali4e! worl!, the #ainstrea# !iscourse is !o#inate! "y the 'estern values% Although China
is a"le to accet 'estern i!eologies an! values concerning free!o#, !e#ocracy, hu#an rights an!
rule of law, it is unwilling to regar! the# as a >universal value@, let alone accet the in!ivi!ualis#
containe! in this #o!el% China insists that these i!eologies shall "e viewe! un!er secific
historical, social an! cultural con!itions, for e&a#le, the issue of hu#an rights shoul! involve
concrete rights an! secial contentsK a"stract hu#an rights alica"le to the entire #an/in! shall
never "e accete!%
,J
Un!er the !iscursive ressure generate! fro# these structural contra!ictions, China$s strategy
to enhance its !iscursive ower has transfor#e! fro# grassroots oinions to actual govern#ental
actions% China$s recognition of the !iscursive ower ste##e! fro# the anti2'estern senti#ents
24
Charles Krautha##er, O'hy 'e Fust Contain China,@ "ime, 5uly -<, <77*, %J,%
25
Z"igniew 8r4e4ins/i, The Bran! Failure; The 8irth an! Death of Co##unis# in the Twentieth Century, =ew
Cor/; Charles Schri"nerEs Sons, <7.7K Bor!on B% Chang, The Co#ing Collase of China, =ew Cor/; 0an!o#
6ouse, ,++<K Fichael Swaine, >Percetions of an Assertive China@, China ?ea!ershi Fonitor, =o% -,, Fay ,+<+K
5oseh S% =ye 5r%, >ChinaEs 8a! 8et Against A#erica@, Daily =ews A:gytD, Farch <<, ,+<+%
26
Kejin Zhao, China$s 0ise an! Its Foreign Strategic 0ea!just#ent, Social Science, Issue 7, ,+<+, %<2*%
27
The Infor#ation 1ffice, The Develo#ent of China$s 6u#an 0ights in ,++7A'hite PaerD, Sete#"er ,M, ,++7%
9
fer#ente! in the #i!2late erio! of the <77+s% Fro# China !a2es, "he China that Can Sa+ No to
Unhapp+ China u"lishe! in ,++7, it can "e seen that a sense of nationalis# has srea! fro# the
grassroots level to the thin/ing fiel!%
,.
:ntering the ,<
st
Century, the Chinese aca!e#ic fiel!
wave! roagan!a against the hege#ony of 'estern !iscourse, which is reresente! "y Pan 'ei
of Pe/ing University, Chen 3iangyang of the Chinese Aca!e#y of Social Sciences, Zheng
Congnian of the =ational University of Singaore, an! Zhang 'eiwei of the Institute of
International 0elations at the University of Beneva% They launche! a great !e"ate on >Universal
Halues@ an! >the Chinese Fo!el@ encouraging China to co#ete with the 'est for olitical
!iscourse
,7
% Such !e"ate was intertwine! with the >Ti"et Issue@ an! >Passing the 1ly#ic Fla#e@,
e&erting rofoun! i#act on the Chinese lea!ers% In the <J
th
CPC =ational Congress, Presi!ent 6u
5intao, for the first ti#e, elevate! the ro#otion of China$s soft ower to a national strategic
height an! for#ulate! a /ey strategic o"jective to strengthen the Chinese culture$s co#etitiveness
overseas for the sa/e of winning the international !iscursive ower%
-+
Fro# then on, China has
#a!e it a strategic goal to enhance its !iscursive ower "y insisting on influencing the overall
strategic situation on the "asis of soft ower%
-

Discursive Ru#es and Strategic Core

CCP always ays #ore attention to the innovation of !iscourse an! theoryK even create the
innovation of theory as the i#ortant illar to win olitical legiti#acy% In Dece#"er <7J., the
China$s lea!er Deng 3iaoing has ut forwar!, >A arty, a country, a nation, if all is fro# the
"oo/s, thin/ing rigi!ifies, suerstition revails, coul! not go forwar! an! hasn$t the vitality, the
arty will "e over even the nation%@
-<
at the final sitting of the central wor/ Conference%
I!eological e#anciation is the source of all energy, as well as the ine&hausti"le #otive force for
the innovation of !iscourse% GIf the thought is rigi!ifie!, the rules will "e #ore%@ I!eological
e#anciation is "rea/ing all fetters, !ares to "rea/ the rules, "eyon! the e&isting rules to thin/ ,
goes to #a/e the !iscourse innovate%
In ter#s of the !iscursive rules, Chinese lea!ers are #ore li/ely to use the concet of
GChinese characteristicsG% Deng 3iaoing ointe! out; Gour #o!erni4ation construction #ust "e
fro# ChinaEs actual con!itions% 'hether it is revolution or construction, we shoul! ay attention to
stu!ying an! learning fro# foreign e&erience, however, stereotye the #o!e an! e&erience of
other countries, never "e successful% In this regar!, we have ha! #any lessons% The universal truth
of Far&is# with ChinaEs secific reality, an! go our own way, "uil! the socialis# of Chinese
characteristics, this is the "asic conclusions what we learn fro# the historical e&eriences%@
-,
at the
oening state#ent of the <,
th
Conference of CCP 1n Sete#"er <, <7.,% Since then, the socialis#
28
3iguang ?i an! Kang ?iu, 8ehin! the De#oni4ing China, 8eijing; Chinese Press of Social Science, <77MK Iing
Song, Zang4ang Zhang, 8ian Iiao, The China That Can Say; Political an! :#otional Choices in the ost Col!2
'ar era, 8eijing; China In!ustry an! 8usiness Press, <77MK =ing Fang, 3iao!ong 'ang an! Iiang S1=B,
China$s 0oa! Un!er the Sha!ow of Blo"ali4ation, 8eijing; Chinese Press of Social Science, <777K 3iaojun Song
an! 3iao!ong 'ang, Unhay ChinaPThe Breat Ti#e, Bran! Hision an! 1ur Challenges, =anjing; 5iangsu
Peole Press, ,++7%
29
'ei Pan, 8e Dare to Co#ete with 'estern Political I!eas, Blo"al Ti#es, 5anuary -<, ,++.K 3iangyang Chen,
>:ffectively Coing with 'estern Discourse 6ege#ony challenge, Iiushi, Issue <+, ,+<+K 'eiwei Zhang, :n! the
'estern Discourse 6ege#ony "y Philosohy, Blo"al Ti#es, =ove#"er <M, ,+<+%
30
6u 5intao, 6ol! 6igh the Breat 8anner of Socialis# with Chinese Characteristics an! Strive for =ew Hictories
in 8uil!ing a Fo!erately Proserous Society in all 0esects 0eort to the Seventeenth =ational Congress of the
Co##unist Party of China on 1ct% <*, ,++J
31
3iaoing Deng, >Fanciating the Fin!, See/ing Truth fro# Facts, ?oo/ing Ahea! with Soli!arity, Selecte!
'or/s of Deng 3iaoingAHolu#e D, 8eijing; Peole$s Press, <779, %<9+29-%
32
3iaoing Deng, >The 1ening 0e#ar/s on the <,
th
=ational Congress of CPC@, Selecte! 'or/s of Deng
3iaoingAHolu#e IIID, 8eijing; Peole$s Press, <779%
10
with Chinese characteristics has "eco#e the "anner of CCP, ChinaEs lea!ers are sought in new
content un!er the "anner of socialis# with Chinese characteristics, such as 5iang Ze#inEs
i#ortant thought Gthree reresentsG, 6u 5intaoEs scientific !evelo#ent concet an! har#onious
society an! har#onious worl! concet which are the new content to "e the socialis# with Chinese
characteristics%
Since the "eginning of ,<st century, get a new connotation in co#arison of GChinese
characteristicsG an! G'ashington consensusG, esecially G'ashington consensusG in ?atin
A#erica, :astern an! southern :uroe, aroun! the worl! suffere! severe, an! Ira) war or the
glo"al financial crisis ?i"eral inclination grou in US an! 8ritain is increasingly e&ose! a"uses
an! !efects, accelerate! the !eclining tren! of the Unite! States #o!el in China social !iscursive
ower% Chinese lea!ers accelerate the e&loration of a new !evelo#ent #o!el, an! suort the
!iversification of !evelo#ent atterns in u"lic "oth at !o#estic an! a"roa!, this is the first ti#e
to the Chinese Bovern#ent senior reveals the self2confi!ence on the !iscourse ower% At the
"eginning of ,++-, Chinese lea!er 6u 5intao a!vocate! Gscientific 1utloo/ on !evelo#entG on
various occasions, #a/ing it as the core strategy of Chinese !iscursive ower% GScientific 1utloo/
on !evelo#entG roose! is a tyical case of 6u 5intao$s !iscursive ower% 1n 1cto"er <9, ,++-,
the thir! lenary conference of the <Mth Central Co##ittee of CPC, scientific 1utloo/ on
!evelo#ent was a!vance! in a clear, for#al way for the first ti#e in the artyEs literature,
a!vocates insisting on overall consi!eration, insisting eole fore#ost, esta"lishing a
co#rehensive, coor!inate! an! sustaina"le !evelo#ent concet, an! ro#oting all2roun!
!evelo#ent of the econo#ic society an! hu#an "eing%
33
After the scientific 1utloo/ on
!evelo#ent, CCP organi4e! a large learning activities, "esi!e the Central Party school, national
school of a!#inistration an! arty schools at all levels an! the school of a!#inistration, in Farch
,++*, has also esta"lishe! China Pu!ong ca!re College, China jingangshan ca!res Institute, Canan
College of China, as the - State2level training "ase% It ai#s the large2scale of lea!ing ca!re$s
rotation% In a!!ition, in 5anuary ,++*, the whole arty !eveloe! the e!ucation activities on the
the#e of G e!ucation on #aintaining the co##ies$ a!vance! nature G an! Gstu!ying an!
i#le#enting the scientific 1utloo/ on !evelo#entG to consoli!ate the olitical !iscursive ower
of the scientific outloo/ of !evelo#ent% As a result, on the <Jth =ational Congress of CCP hel!
in 1cto"er <*, ,++J, scientific outloo/ of !evelo#ent was wrote in the CCP Constitution, with
Deng 3iaoing theory an! Gthree reresentsG i#ortant thin/ing, !efine! as the scientific syste#
of the socialist theory with Chinese characteristics% In a!!ition, China lea!ers have strongly
a!vocate! Ghar#onious societyG , Ghar#onious worl!G an! Gnation innovation syste#sG are also
the strategic co#onents to increase the !iscursive ower of China%
In ,++., after the international financial crisis, Chinese econo#y continue! to !evelo% In
,+<+, its BDP overtoo/ 5aan$s

an! "eca#e the worl!Es secon! "iggest econo#ic ower% The

rise of ChinaEs co#rehensive national strength is to "oost confi!ence in the i#rove#ent of
Chinese lea!ers in !iscursive ower% At the <Jth lenary session of the Central Co##ittee hel! in
,+<+, 6u 5intao characteri4e! the thought of glo"al i!eological co##unication, #ingle,
confrontation as the new characteristics% 6e also reali4e! that now #ust "e the i#ortant strategic
oortunity erio! for China , shoul! #ove forwar! to the new historical starting oint%
34
Therefore fro# Chinese seniors$ long2ter# ersective, it is ossi"le to face so#e co#etition
fro# !ifferent #o!els or actors , !uring the rocess of racticing an! a!vancing the gran! >refor#
33
The Co##uni)ue of the Thir! Plenary Conference of the <M
th
Central Co##ittee of CPC, 1cto"er <9, ,++-%
34
Peole$s Daily, Sete#"er ,7, ,+<+%
11
an! oen u@ strategy %At this oint of ti#e, China shoul! e&lore an! i#rove the international
influence an! aealing of >Chinese Fo!el@, an! constantly enrich its connotation an!
co#etitiveness%
.

Discursive Practice and Strategic Carrier

I#roving a countryEs international !iscursive ower is a co#"ination of the !iscourse fact
an! the !iscourse syste# in ractice% It ro#otes the national caacity for shaing an! even
soli!ifies the international ga#e theory of !ilo#acy% For China, its !ilo#acy will #eet
unrece!ente! challenges whether in the fiel! of !iscourse fact "ri!ges the structural !ivision
which restricts Chinese !iscursive ower, it #ay also "ring the crac/ of the >Chinese Fo!el@ an!
universal values in the fiel! of !iscourse syste#% Chinese lea!ers have starte! to i#le#ent
China$s !iscursive ower strategy on the international stage since ,++-, !ue to it #ay face to
various e&ectations or #isun!erstan!ings of international oinion on China%
Chinese lea!ers ro#ote! the !e"ate of GChinaEs eaceful riseG at the international level in
,++-, as the first atte#t to the "rea/through of Deng 3iaoingEs Gno argu#entG rinciles in the
.+sor the Sino2Soviet !e"ate in <7*+% The core of this !e"ate is to change China$s !isa!vantage of
!iscursive ower osition in international u"lic% Zheng ijian! "#ecuti$e %ice &'esident o(
the )ent'al &a't* school! also the c'eato' o( Gto tell the worl! a true ChinaG%
35
+,n )hina-s
.eace(ul 'ise+ad$anced at /oao 0o'um (o' 1sia 1nnual )on(e'ence 2003! and mentioned
+ne2 'oad (o' )hina-s .eace(ul 'ise and the (utu'e o( 1sia+ that )hina must select to 'ise
th'ough .eace(ul means 3uite a long .e'iod o( time.
36
ChinaEs olicy #a/ers an! analysts
"elieve that >China rising@ shoul! try to avoi! co#etition olicy of 'ei#ar Ber#an, I#erial
5aan an! the for#er Soviet Union !uring the col! war% Accor!ing to the Professor Zheng "ijian,
GUn!er the resent international situation, China only can choose the >Peaceful 0ise@, use the
eaceful international environ#ent for its !evelo#ent, an! #aintain the worl! eace at the sa#e
ti#e through its !evelo#ent% @
3
Professor Zheng "ijian use to serve as a senior govern#ent
official, has a close lin/ with the current lea!ershi% ?ater, Pre#ier 'en 5ia"ao use! a wor!
Geaceful riseG for the first ti#e at 6arvar! University in the Unite! States% 6e clai#e! that the
rise of China is a eaceful rise, China arising will not har# to any country in the worl!, an!
encourage! new generation of lea!ers to "egin an e&loration for the new !evelo#ent roa!%

38
In
Fe"ruary <J, ,++9, Chinese resi!ent 6u 5intao at co##e#orating cere#ony for the <<+
anniversary of Fao Ze!ong$s "irth, !efine! G Sic/ to the roa! of eaceful rise !evelo#ent
Gclearlyas the highest national lea!er%

3!
Fonths afterwar!s, Presi!ent 6u 5intao an! Pri#e
Finister 'en 5ia"ao ha! a u"lic !iscussion a"out eaceful rise for three ti#es, an! receive!
!o#estic an! the international co##unityEs attention%
Fany of Chinese scholars an! analysts )uestion on the #eaning an! accuracy of the new
wor!s% So#e international o"servers also note! so#e of its shortco#ings, for instance, a#"iguous,
an! #ay contra!ict with treating the for#ulation of Taiwan issue%
4"
Fany eole !ou"t using
GriseG, an! "elieve that GriseG won$t haen to China% They thin/ lots of econo#ical an! social
35
Peole$s Daily, Sete#"er ,*, ,+<+%
36
8ijian Zheng, China$s =ew 0oa! of Peaceful 0ise, 'enhui Daily, Farch ,<, ,++9%
37
8ijian Zheng, China$s =ew Peaceful 0ise 0oa! an! the Future of Asia, Stu!y Ti#es, =ove#"er ,9, ,++-%
38
Pre#ier 'en Hisit the Unite! States; China$s Peaceful 0ise 'ill 0ewrite Sino2U%S% 0elations, 0eference
Fessage, Dece#"er <., ,++-%
39
Peole$s Daily, Dece#"er ,J, ,++-%
40
8onnie S% Blaser an! :van S% Fe!eiros, The Change :colohy of Foreign Policy2Fa/ing in China; The
Ascension an! De#ise of the Theory of EEPeaceful 0iseEEE, The China Iuarterly, Hol% <7+, 5une ,++J, PP%,7<2-<+%
12
ro"le#s of China i#e!es its rising an! interrut to "eco#e a ower states%

They insiste!, GriseG
is the oti#istic ortrayal of ChinaEs current social an! econo#ic !evelo#ent%
41
1thers
oose!, "ecause of its #eaning of Gower transfer >% This ter#inology to relieve tensions in the
neigh"or countries actually cannot hel anything%
4#
During the !iscussion, #any eole thin/ that
Geaceful riseG has strong sti#ulus, easily #isinterrete! as China is willing to reach for the
hege#ony li/e Unite! States, an! trying to its e&ansion% :secially ChinaEs neigh"oring
countries, #any lea!ers of ghose countries have e&resse! varying !egrees of concern% A#ong
the#, the #ost tyical views is fro# Singaoreean for#er Pri#e Finister ?ee Kuan yew, he
"elieves that Asia2Pacific countries welco#e! ChinaEs roserity an! !evelo#ent, "ut also
concerns of his own national security%

43
In the assess#ent of the eaceful rise strategy !e"ates at !o#estic an! a"roa!, Chinese
lea!ers "egan to use the new for#ulation Gthe 0oa! of ChinaEs eaceful !evelo#ent G% In Aril
,M, ,++9, Hice Presi!ent Zeng Iinghong roose! Geaceful !evelo#entG to e&oun! on ChinaEs
roa! of !evelo#ent% on the oening cere#ony of the U=:SCAP M+th session in Shanghai%
44
In
Aril ,++9, an! at the 8oao Foru# of Asia, Chinese Presi!ent 6u 5intao use! the ter# of
Geaceful !evelo#entG when he tal/s a"out ChinaEs foreign strategy%
45
In Sete#"er ,++9, the
conference of CCP <M fourth lenary session for#ally announce! to the worl!, China will stic/ to
the roa! of eaceful !evelo#ent%
46
In Dece#"er ,++*, the Chinese Bovern#ent u"lishe! the
white aer on ChinaEs roa! of eaceful !evelo#ent, ela"orate! on the content s, an! roose! a
clear goal of G"uil! a har#onious worl! of lasting eace an! co##on roserityG% 'hite aer
says, Gloo/ "ac/ in history, an! loo/ forwar! to the future on reality "asis, China will
unswervingly follow the roa! of eaceful !evelo#ent% 'e struggle to achieve the eaceful
!evelo#entK the oen !evelo#entK, the cooerate !evelo#ent an! the har#onious
!evelo#ent% First #eans to strive for eaceful international environ#ent to !evelo itself , an!
use its !evelo#ent to #aintain the worl! eaceK secon! is rely on its own forces an! refor#
innovation to reali4e !evelo#ent, while a!here to i#le#ent e&ternal oeningK thir! is confor#
to the econo#ic glo"ali4ation !evelo#ent tren!, struggle to i#le#ent "eneficial win #utually
an! !evelo#ent togetherK an! fourth is a!here to eace, !evelo#ent an! cooeration, is
co##itte! to construct a lasting eace an! co##on roserity har#onious worl!%
4
So#e
scholars su##ari4e! it as,G 0ise in the eace, "y the eace an! for the eace% G
48
At this oint,
>stic/ to the roa! of eaceful !evelo#ent, "uil! a har#onious worl! of lasting eace an!
co##on roserity%@ is the regular e&ression of strategy !iscourse for China in B,+, AP:C an!
other international foru#s of the Unite! =ations, has "eco#e the strategy gui!e to i#rove
China$s !iscursive ower%
Ideo$og% and Chinese Discursive Power
41
Chu Shulong, Cite! in >'hat to !o after "eco#ing a "ig ower@, Peole$s Daily, ,M 5une, ,++9%
42
3uetong Can, Peaceful 0ise an! Faintaining Peace; China$s Peaceful 0ise Strategy an! Statics, International
Stu!ies, Issue -, ,++9%
43
for#er Singaorean Pri#e Finister ?ee Kuan Cew sai! in an interview with the Charlie 0ose television show on
the P8S networ/ in 1cto"er ,++7%
44
Peole$s Daily, Aril ,M, ,++9%
45
5intao 6u, China$s Develo#ent an! Asia$s 1ortunities, Peole$s Daily, Aril ,*, ,++9%
46
Peole$s Daily, Sete#"er ,J, ,++9%
47
Infor#ation 1ffice of the State Council e!%, China*s %eace#ul 0evelopment .oa)A'hite PaerD, Dece#"er ,,,
,++*%
48
Ciwei 'ang, The !i#ensions of China$s eaceful rise% Asia "imes, Fay <9, ,++9%
13
I!eology serves as one of the strategic tools for increasing !iscursive ower% In China, for the
Co##unist Party of China, i!eology falls a"reast with nu#erous fronts such as olitical front,
econo#ic front, #ilitary front, !ilo#acy front, an! etc%, it covers theory, news, literature an! art,
#orality, siritual civili4ation, an! other affairs% Since ,++-, the CPC Central Co##ittee has
attache! the great i#ortance to i!eological wor/, "rings it to the strategic level of Gsafeguar!ing
national security of i!eologyG, esta"lishes the socialist core value syste# in the whole society,
carries out the e!ucational activity of G:ight 6onors an! :ight Sha#esG, an! ta/es a variety of
tools to enhance ChinaEs international !iscursive ower in i!eology%
4!
First#y, to strengthen the ideo#ogica# #eadership
Tra!itionally, i!eological wor/ is un!er unifie! lea!ershi of the Central ?ea!ing Brou of
Pu"licity an! I!eological L Political 'or/, which is the !ecision2#a/ing a!visory an!
coor!inating "o!y for u"lici4ing i!eological wor/ of the Political 8ureau of the CPC Central
Co##ittee, an! an a! hoc organi4ation su"or!inating to the Political 8ureau% In a!!ition, its
#e#"ers are often in!eter#inate, inclu!ing rincials in #ain !ivisions of the arty, govern#ent
an! u"licity, are usually "eing constitute! "y the 6ea! of the Pu"licity Deart#ent of the CPC
Central Co##ittee, Director of the State Council Infor#ation 1ffice, Finister of :!ucation,
Finister of Culture, Director Beneral of the International 0a!io, Fil# an! Television, an! etc%
An! then it atten!e! "y rincials fro# the 3inhua =ews Agency, PeoleEs Daily an! other
relevant !eart#ents, an! "earing the function of coor!ination, co##unication, !ecision2#a/ing,
!eloy#ent an! #onitoring the i#le#entation of foreign olicy an! the situation "etween the
Stan!ing Co##ittee of the Political 8ureau an! roagan!a !eart#ent of the Party an!
govern#ent%
In or!er to strengthen the i!eological lea!ershi, the CPC Central Co##ittee a!!e! a full2
ti#e #e#"er of the Stan!ing Co##ittee of the Political 8ureau since ,++-, ?i Changchun, to "e
in charge of i!eological wor/K as #e#"ers of the Political 8ureau of the Central Co##ittee an!
the Pu"licity Deart#ent of the CPC Central Co##ittee, the State Councilor in charge of
e!ucational, scientific an! cultural affairs, an! Hice2Chair#an of the Central Filitary Co##ission
resonsi"le for i!eological an! olitical wor/ are e&2officio #e#"ers of the grou, #a/es the
lea!ershi tea# of i!eology even #ore owerful an! the lea!ershi #ore vigorous% 6owever, this
grou is rarely e&ose! in the #e!ia an! highly confi!ent in wor/ roce!ures, an! it regularly
convenes #eetings an! erfor#s unifie! #anage#ent over roagan!a, i!ea, culture, i!eology,
siritual civili4ation construction an! other wor/s% Therefore the #echanis# of i!eological
lea!ershi in China has "een strengthene!, an! #any of those interviewe! #e!ia rofessionals
have e&resse! a #ore strict control of u"lic oinion since ,++-%
5"
Second#y, to prosper and deve#op phi#osophy and socia# science
Benerally referre! to the hu#anities an! social sciences, GPhilosohy an! Social ScienceG in
China was ut forwar! un!er the influence of the Soviet Union classification of su"jects in <7**%
49
The significant roosition an! strategic #ission of >esta"lishing the socialist core value syste#@ was !efinitely
ut forwar! for the first ti#e in 0ecisions + the C%C Central Committee on Some /a3or Issues in Buil)ing a
Harmonious Socialist Societ+, which was a!ote! !uring the Si&th Plenary Session of the <M
th
CPC Central
Co##ittee in 1ct%, ,++M% In ,++J, 6u 5intao, Beneral Secretary of the CPC Central Co##ittee, stresse! in the
i#ortant >MQ,*@ seech that we shall #a/e every effort to esta"lish the socialist core value syste# an! consoli!ate
the co##on thought "ase on the uniting an! struggling of the whole Party an! national eole% An! this
significantly e#"o!ies the e#hasis of the CPC lea!ers on i!eological security%
50
8y having ha! interviews with relevant u"licity an! cultural !eart#ents in China, the author foun! that
although #ost #e!ia reali4e! #ar/eti4ation, govern#ental control "eca#e stricter than "efore esecially in
cultural syste# refor#% htt;NNnews%&inhuanet%co#NoliticsN,+<+2+.N+7NcR<,9,*9<M%ht#
14
with the !ual roerty of su"ject an! olitical i!eology in the Chinese conte&t, "earing the
i#ortant function of i!eological legiti#acy%
Since ,++-, the CPC Central Co##ittee has set the roserity an! !evelo#ent of
hilosohy an! social science as an i#ortant an! urgent strategic tas/, an! esta"lishe! the
strategic thought of Ghilosohy, social science an! natural science are e)ually i#ortantG% In 5an%,
,++9, the CPC Central Co##ittee secially for#ulate! "he I)ea o# %rospering an) 0eveloping
%hilosoph+ an) Social Science 'urther, lacing ever the !evelo#ent of hilosohy an! social
science in an unrece!ente! strategic ositionK it also clearly ut forwar! that socialist
#o!erni4ation shoul! "e acco#anie! with not only !eveloe! natural sciences, "ut also
roserous hilosohy an! social sciences, an! no effort shall "e sare! to esta"lish the
hilosohy an! social science with Chinese characteristics an! "eing oriente! to the nee!s of
#o!erni4ation, the worl! an! the future%
51
To further e#"o!y the e#hasis of the CPC Central
Co##ittee on the roserity an! !evelo#ent of hilosohy an! social science, the Political
8ureau of the CPC Central Co##ittee stu!ie! on Fay ,., ,++9 collectively for the <-
th
ti#e
un!er the the#e of rosering an! !eveloing hilosohy an! social sciences in China% 6u 5intao
"rought forwar! that hilosohy an! social science shall effectively assu#e their historic
resonsi"ilitiesK ai#ing at the lea!ing e!ge of aca!e#ic !evelo#ent, oening the vision of
cognition, e&an!ing the sace of thin/ing, /eeing a foothol! in the resent age while inheriting
the tra!ition, having a foothol! in China while learning fro# foreign countries, vigorously
ro#oting the innovation of aca!e#ic viewoints, su"ject syste# an! scientific research #etho!s,
an! striving to "uil! the hilosohy an! social sciences with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style
an! Chinese #anner%
5#
The Chinese govern#ent also encourages the e&ansion of international
e&changes in hilosohy an! social sciences, an! ays attention to intro!ucing e&cellent
achieve#ents, researching #etho!s an! #anage#ent e&erience of foreign hilosohy an! social
science% At the sa#e ti#e, it actively i#le#ents the strategy of Ggoing outG in hilosohy an!
social science, nee!s to translate an! intro!uce a nu#"er of e&cellent achieve#ents in Chinese
hilosohy an! social science, an! ta/ing various effective #easures to e&an! the influence of
Chinese hilosohy an! social science in the worl!% For rosering an! !eveloing hilosohy
an! social sciences, China secifically esta"lishe! the =ational Social Science Fun!% Accor!ing to
statistics fro# organi4ations which is resonsi"le for lanning the =ational Social Science Fun!,
annual invest#ent of the Bovern#ent of China in =ational Social Science Fun! increase! fro#
+%< "illion Cuan in ,++, to +%*7 "illion Cuan in ,+<+, while this only totale! <- #illion Cuan in
<77<%
53
In a!!ition, there also is su"stantial increase in invest#ent of the Finistry of :!ucation,
the Finistry of Culture, Finistry of Foreign Affairs an! other #inistries an! local govern#ents in
this regar!%
&hird#y, to commence the study and construction pro*ect on /ar(ism theory
The research an! construction roject on Far&is# theory is the foun!ation for the CPC
Central Co##ittee to consoli!ate the gui!ing role of Far&is# in the fiel! of i!eology% Since
,++9, China has set u consultative co##ittee for the research an! construction roject on
Far&is# theory, "uilt ,9 #ajor an! "ase roject tea#s, !eter#ine! chief e&erts an! /ey #e#"ers
51
"he I)ea o# %rospering an) 0eveloping %hilosoph+ an) Social Science 'urther + the C%C Central Committee,
%eople*s 0ail+, Farch ,+, ,++9
52
6u 5intao; >Achieving cultural achieve#ents with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style an! Chinese #anner@,
&inhuanet, Aug% <-, ,++-% %eople*s 0ail+ Overseas 1)ition, Fay -<, ,++9, <
st
:!ition
53
'e"site of the Planning 1ffice for =ational Social Science Fun!; htt;NNwww%noss2cn%gov%cnN
15
for these tea#s an! constructe! te&t"oo/ syste# of /ey su"jects%
54
The Pu"licity Deart#ent of
the CPC Central Co##ittee an! the Finistry of :!ucation issue! jointly 1inion on
Strengthening an! I#roving the Construction of Su"ject Syste# an! Te&t"oo/ Syste# of
Philosohy an! Social Sciences in Universities an! Colleges on Fay <<, ,++*, utting forwar! the
vigorous !evelo#ent of stu!y on Far&is# theoretical syste#, history of Far&is# !evelo#ent
an! chini4ation of Far&is#, an! co#ilation of a te&t"oo/ e#"o!ying Far&ist viewoints%
55

Uon ratification of the CPC Central Co##ittee, Aca!e#y of Far&is# of CASS was set u on
Dec% ,M, ,++*, followe! "y tens of universities an! colleges countrywi!e with the esta"lish#ent of
aca!e#ies of Far&is#, research centers or institutes successively% The Aca!e#ic Degrees
Co##ittee of the State Council an! Finistry of :!ucation issue! =otice on A!just#ent an!
A!!ition of First Bra!e Su"ject an! Secon!ary Su"ject to Far&is# Theory on Dec% ,-, ,++*,
a!!ing the first gra!e su"ject of Far&is# theory an! secon!ary su"ject to Far&is#, an! the first
gra!e su"ject to Far&is# Theory "elongs at resent to >the science of law@ with such * secon!ary
su"jects as >8asic Princiles of Far&is#@, >6istory of Far&is# Develo#ent@, >Stu!y on the
?ocali4e! Far&is# in China@, >Stu!y of Far&is# in 1versseas@ an! >:!ucation in I!eology an!
Politics@%
56
Another secon!ary su"ject of >8asic Issues in the Fo!ern an! Conte#orary Chinese
6istory@ was a!!e! in Aril, ,++.% At resent, there are ,< !octor rogra#s an! J- #aster
rogra#s of the first gra!e Far&is# theory su"ject, an! for the secon!ary su"ject, there are ,<-
!octorial rogra#s an! .9, #aster rogra#s%
5
The i#act of Far&is# in Chinese universities
an! social i!eology is !ra#atically increase!%
Fourth#y, to vigorous#y deve#op thin" tan"
Thin/ tan/ is a significant organi4ation to yiel! national !iscourses% Since the foun!ing of
new China, lea!ers such as Fao Ze!ong relie! on ersonal e&erience #ore to #a/e !ecisions,
an! !iscre!ite! to intellectuals% Therefore, there was no thin/ tan/ in the strict sense at that ti#e,
an! the wor/s are only li#ite! to co#iling infor#ation, filing, an! etc% Since the >refor# an!
oening u@, lots of engineers an! oliticians "eca#e national lea!ers, "eing #ore an! #ore
!een!ent on thin/ tan/s% Thus, #any thin/ tan/s such as Policy 0esearch 1ffice of the CPC
Central Co##ittee, 0esearch 1ffice of the State Council, the Chinese Aca!e#y of Social
Sciences !evelo rai!ly%
6owever, the rai! !evelo#ent of thin/ tan/ !i! not reali4e until ,++-% At that ti#e, ?i
Changchun, one of the new central lea!ers an! a #e#"er of the Stan!ing Co##ittee of the
Political 8ureau in charge of the i!eology wor/, ai! an insection visit to the Chinese Aca!e#y
of Social Sciences% 6e clearly state! that the aca!e#y shoul! >strive to "eco#e the significant
i!ea "an/ an! thin/ tan/ for the Party Central Co##ittee an! the State Council@ to >serve the
scientific !ecision2#a/ing of the PCC@, which was the first re)uire#ent fro# Chinese lea!er to
"uil! thin/ tan/%
58
Feanwhile, the Finistry of :!ucation allocate! -9 #illion Cuan for
54
Beneral 1ffice of the Finistry of :!ucation, >Su##ary Seech AA"stractD of Hice Finister ?i 'eihong at the
-r! 'or/ing Conference of the Co##ittee of Social Science, Finistry of :!ucation@, 8ulletin of the Finistry of
:!ucation, =o%* ,++J, Aril ,<, ,++J%
55
1inion on Strengthening an! I#roving the Construction of Su"ject Syste# an! Te&t"oo/ Syste# of
Philosohy an! Social Sciences in Universities an! Colleges fro# the Pu"licity Deart#ent of the CPC Central
Co##ittee an! the Finistry of :!ucation, Fay ., ,++*%
56
The Aca!e#ic Degrees Co##ittee of the State Council; =otice on A!just#ent an! A!!ition of First Bra!e
Su"ject an! Secon!ary Su"ject to Far&is# Theory, Dec% ,-, ,++*
57
Zhao Fu/e, >Su##ary of Su"ject Construction an! Develo#ent of Stu!y on the Chini4ation of Far&is#@,
Co#e#orary 'orl! L Socialis#, =o% ,, ,+<+
58
htt;NNwww%cass%net%cnNwe"newNfileN,++-+-+9*M9,%ht#l
16
esta"lishing <++ /ey research "ases on hu#anities an! social sciences in colleges an! universities
nationwi!e% It also state! clearly that these /ey research "ases shall give full lay to the
re)uire#ent of "eing an >i!ea "an/@, >infor#ation "an/@ an! >talent "an/@%
5!
Further#ore, it also
ut forwar! that these /ey research "ases were !irectly un!er the juris!iction of the Finistry of
:!ucation, an! they esta"lishe! a Social Science Co##ittee of the Finistry of :!ucation, with the
!ivision of Far&is# theory A<* eoleD, hilosohy !ivision A<M eoleD, !ivision of literature an!
art A,< eoleD, history !ivision A<9 eoleD, econo#ics !ivision A<. eoleD, law !ivision A<,
eoleD, olitics !ivision A<+ eoleD, #anage#ent !ivision A<9 eoleD, !ivision of e!ucation an!
sychology A7 eoleD an! co#rehensive !ivision A<+ eoleD, to #a/e full use of the a!vice an!
consultation fro# e&erts for the hilosohical an! social science !evelo#ent in colleges an!
universities%
6"
In ,++9, the Finistry of :!ucation launche! the >7.* roject hase II@
61
to "uil!
*+ national hilosohy an! social science innovation "ases relying on #ajor universities, an! it
has investe! ,+ #illion Cuan in four years to inject strong vitality for the esta"lish#ent of thin/
tan/ in colleges an! universities%
So far, there are a"out ,,*++ thin/ tan/s in China, #ost of the# are official institutions !ue to
their fun!s #ainly co#e fro# govern#ent allocation% For e&a#le, in 5uly, ,++7, China Center for
International :cono#ic :&changes, raise! "y the #e!ia as >China$s to thin/ tan/@or >China$s
suer thin/ tan/@% This institution was esta"lishe! "y Zeng Peiyan, the for#er Hice2re#ier of the
State Council as the Chair#an an! joine! "y a great "atch of incu#"ent or retire! officials on
#inisterial levels fro# olitical, "usiness L aca!e#ic fiel!s, so#e rincials fro# central
enterrises an! financial institutions, an! so#e worl!2renowne! Chinese econo#ists% It #ainly
focuses on the research of international econo#y while enhancing the e&changes on even ter#s
with internationally fa#ous thin/ tan/s, e&an!ing Chinese !iscursive ower in international
arena, an! striving to turn China into an i#ortant center of olitical !iscursive ower in Asia%
6#

8esi!es of those official thin/ tan/s, non2govern#ental thin/ tan/s e&an! slowly "ut fir#ly in
China, with so#e outstan!ing thin/ tan/s such as the 0esearch Institute of International Affairs of
CITIC, 8eijing Tian4e :cono#y 0esearch Institute, Shanghai ?aw an! :cono#y 0esearch
Institute, Shanghai :ast Asia 0esearch Institute, Shanghai 'T1 Affairs Consultation Center,
Chahar Institute, etc%, are wiel!ing certain influence on the official thin/ tan/s%
&'terna$ Pu($icit% and Chinese Discursive Power
Another i#ortant tool for Chinese !iscursive ower strategy is e&ternal u"licity% In china,
e&ternal u"licity is an overall, strategic wor/ as well as a vital art of the entire foreign affairs% In
the ast, Pre#ier Zhou :nlai woul! always arrange !ilo#atic front an! e&ternal u"licity front at
59
Bong 'en, >Zheng 3inli Deco!es the To =on2govern#ental Thin/ Tan/ in China@, Peole$s Daily, 5uly <,
,++7%
60
The Finistry of :!ucation; A!#inistrative Feasures on the Key 0esearch 8ases of 6u#anities an! Social
Science in 0egular Institutions of 6igher :!ucation, Docu#ent fro# the Finistry of :!ucation, 5SZS,++<T =o% ,-
61
The Finistry of :!ucation; So#e 1inions on Further Develoing an! Prosering Philosohy an! Social
Science in Colleges an! Universities, Docu#ent fro# the Finistry of :!ucation, 5SZS,++-T =o% <
62
As the national innovative "ase for hilosohy an! social science, >7.* roject@ further integrates, concentrates
an! ugra!es the co#rehensive innovative caacity of national hilosohy an! social sciences in colleges an!
universities, is a new for# of scientific research organi4ation to reali4e the oti#u# !istri"ution of national
hilosohy an! social scientific resources in colleges an! universities, gather to talents, for# innovative tea#,
in!icate the inter!iscilinary features, an! is also a significant art of national innovative syste#, following the
hase I of >,<< roject@, >7.* roject@, an! "ase! on national /ey hilosohy an! social science su"jects, as well
as /ey research "ases an! /ey rojects on hu#anities an! social science of the Finistry of :!ucation%
17
the sa#e ti#e when !ealing with i#ortant foreign affairs issues%
63
Since the i#le#enting of the
>refor# an! oening u@, Deng 3iaoing, 5iang Ze#in an! 6u 5intao an! other lea!ers have all
attache! great i#ortance to e&ternal u"licity wor/% Deng 3iaoing ha! sai! on #any occasions
that in or!er to enter the worl! China #ust first "eco#e /nown "y the worl! an! that we shoul!
"oth >go out@ an! >invite in@ to let #ore international ersonage see, hear, an! tal/ a"out a real
China after refor# an! oening u%
64
5iang Ze#in not only gave instructions on e&ternal u"licity
wor/, "ut also accete! interviews "y foreign reorters for #any ti#es, facing the ca#era to
courageously clai#e! for China to the worl!% Since ,++-, China has create! a favora"le situation
of soli! rogresses an! vigorous !evelo#ent in e&ternal u"licity, with its contents an! scoe
continuously e&an!e! the #etho! an! #eanings were i#rove!, an! the institutions an!
#echanis#s were courageously ugra!e!%
:&ternal u"licity has "eco#e an i#ortant illar for China$s !iscursive ower strategy% After
China$s accession to the 'T1 in ,++<, its lea!ers soon felt ressure fro# the international u"lic
oinion% During the SA0S ei!e#ic of ,++-, China e&erience! the ressure fro# overseas u"lic
oinion for the first ti#e,
65
so the for#ulation of e&ternal u"licity strategy to coe the ressure of
international u"lic oinion ha! "eco#e an i#ortant art of China$s !ilo#atic strategy% 1n
Sete#"er <7
th
,++9, the resolution of the fourth session of the <M
th
CCCPC lenu# has e&licitly
ointe! out that the international co##unity$s attention towar!s its country$s situation in the new
erio!% An! it #ust "e reson!e! roerly "y strengthening an! i#roving e&ternal u"licity
wor/, actively carrying out international cultural e&changes, to ro#ote further an! for# an
international consensus environ#ent which is "eneficial to China$s !evelo#ent%
66
That was the
first aroach the CCCPC clearly roose! the issue of "uil!ing an international consensus
environ#ent% The central foreign affairs wor/ conference in 8eijing fro# August ,<
st
to ,-
r!
, ,++M
ointe! out
)
>the situation an! tas/s urge us to the further i#rove#ent of )uality an! level for
foreign affairs issues, an! nee! to strive for "ringing a new situation in foreign affairs in the new
century an! new stage% :nhance the eaceful coe&istence an! #utually "eneficial cooeration
with all countries in the worl!, scruulously a"i!e "y the five rinciles of eaceful coe&istence,
actively create a eaceful an! sta"le international environ#ent, goo!2neigh"orly an! frien!ly
surroun!ing environ#ent, #utually trusting an! cooerative safety environ#ent an! o"jective an!
a#ica"le consensus environ#ent%@
6

6ence, the central co##ittee e&ressly treate! the creating
of an o"jective an! a#ica"le consensus environ#ent as one of the wor/ing focuses of the new
erio!$s foreign strategy% In 5anuary M
th
,+<+, Fr% ?i Changchun

one of the Stan!ing

Co##ittees of the Political 8ureau of the CPC Central Co##ittee e#hasi4e! at the =ational
Finisterial Conference for Co##unication thatK >we #ust #a/e new achieve#ent on the
u"licity, i!eology an! culture fronts "y ro#oting our international co##unication caacity,
hol!ing !iscursive ower an! o"taining initiative@% That was the first ti#e that Chinese ?ea!ers
ha! co#"ine! e&ternal co##unication with !iscursive ower, an! clearly regar!e! the e&ternal
co##unication as a strategic tool of ro#oting !iscursive ower% In a!!ition, at a national
63
Pei Foyi *4hou 1nlai an) Ne$ China's 0iplomac+, 8eijing; Central Party School Pu"lishing 6ouse, ,++,
e!ition%
64
Fe!ia 0esearch Center of 3inhua =ews Agency; 0eng 5iaoping*s %ress Campaign, 8eijing; 3inhua Press <77.
e!ition, age *+2**%
65
Susan 5a/es, >8eijingEs SA0S Attac/,@ Ti#e Faga4ine, Ar% ., ,++-%
66
.e#lections on Stu)+ing the 0ecision o# the Central Committee o# Chinese Communist %art+ aout 1n#orcing the
Governing Capacit+ o# the Chinese Communist, %eople*s 0ail+, ,J
th
Sete#"er ,++9.
67
"he Central /eeting on 'oreign A##airs is hel) in Bei3ing, Hu (intao an) !en (iaao ma)e important speech, the
first section of %eople*s 0ail+, ,-
r!
August ,++M%
18
conference on u"lici4ing China overseas hel! in 5anuary ,+<+, Fr% 'ang Chen the 6ea! of the
International Co##unication 1ffice of the CPC Central Co##ittee who is secially resonsi"le
for international co##unication, e#hasi4e! !uring his tal/ that, in or!er to have a goo!
erfor#ance for the co##unication wor/ in ,+<+, we nee! to lan "oth the !o#estic situation an!
international situation as a whole, to hol! the !iscursive ower, to lea! the ath, to ro#ote our
international co##unication a"ility, an! en!eavor to for# the ower of international voice
co#ati"le with China$s econo#ic an! social !evelo#ent level an! international status%
68

Therefore, the ro#otion of international voice has "eco#e the function of China$s international
co##unication !eart#ents an! has "een inclu!e! into China$s international co##unication
syste#%
In China$s e&ternal u"licity syste#, the #ost i#ortant !eart#ent e&ecuting e&ternal
u"licity strategy is State Council Infor#ation 1ffice of the Peole$s 0eu"lic of China which
foun!e! in 5anuary <77<% The institution was originally foun!e! for the urose of overco#ing
isolate! status in international society after >Tian An Fen Inci!ent@ in <7.7

an! showing oen

attitu!e of Chinese Bovern#ent to outsi!e worl!% Un!er the lea!ershi of the :&ternal Pu"licity
?ea!ing Brou of the Central Co##ittee of the Co##unist Party of China
6!
, the institutions an!
the :&ternal Pu"licity 1ffice of the Central Co##ittee of the Co##unist Party of China "elong to
one !eart#ent with two "ran!s% They are su"or!inate to !eart#ents !irectly un!er the Central
Co##ittee of the Co##unist Party of China with a class of #inistry class% The !eart#ent has set
institutions li/e =ews 8ureau, International Co##unication 8ureau, Fil# an! Press 8ureau an!
=etwor/ 8ureau etc% The #ajor function of those !eart#ents as follows; Pro#oting Chinese
#e!ia e&laining China to the 'orl!K Intro!ucing China outwar! "y con!ucting wor/s in the
#anner of convening news conference, rovi!ing "oo/s !ata an! fil# ro!ucts etcK rovi!ing hel
to !o#estic interview of foreign journalists in or!er that they can reort China effectively,
o"jectively an! accuratelyK 'i!ely !eveloing co##unication an! cooeration with other
countries$ govern#ents as well as news #e!iaK Pro#oting cultural e&changes with other countries
un!er cooeration of relevant authoritiesK Actively ro#oting Chinese #e!ia reorting con!itions
of other countries an! international issues in or!er to infor# the Chinese au!ience a"out new
!evelo#ents in the worl! econo#y, technology an! culture%
"
Since the esta"lish#ent of the Infor#ation 1ffice of the State Council, regular issues of the
Chinese 'hite Paer have "eco#e an i#ortant for# of China$s u"lic !ilo#acy% The content in
the 'hite Paer usually !iscusses issues relate! to #inority nationalities, hu#an rights, national
!efense, co#"at against corrution an! so on,set forth to e&lain co#rehensively an!
syste#ically China$s olicies an! views on such i#ortant issues% So far, there have "een M7
'hite Paers issue!%
1
6owever, it wasn$t until the year <77., after Fr% Zhao Ii4heng "eca#e the
68
>=ational 'or/ing Conference on :&ternal Pu"licity 6as Deloye! :&ternal Pu"licity 'or/ this Cear@,
accor!ing to 3inhua =ews Agency 8eijing * 5anuary ,+<+% 0eferring to Portals of The Central Peole$s
Bovern#ent of the Peole$s 0eu"lic of China; htt;NNwww%gov%cnNjr4gN,+<+2+<N+*NcontentR<*+-.+-%ht#
69
In <7.+, the Central Co##ittee of the Co##unist Party of China foun! :&ternal Pu"licity ?ea!ing Brou of the
Central Co##ittee of the Co##unist Party of China to "e resonsi"le for coor!ination of u"licity to the
internationality ) 6ong Kong Facao an! Taiwan areas as well as overseas Chinese which is the olicy
coor!inating an! lea!ing institution "eing in charge of e&ternal u"licity affairs% Al#ost every e&ternal u"licity
or!ers are issue! fro# such Brou% Buo 0uihua e!% Intro)uction on !or2ing Organi,ation S+stem #rom the
Central Committee o# the Communist %art+ o# China to "ai$an, Taiei; 0esearch Center of Issues on Co##unist
Party of China "y 5ustice Investigation 8ureau, <77< e!ition, Page <,.%
70
>Fission of State Council Infor#ation 1ffice of the Peole$s 0eu"lic of China@ Zhu Fu4hi 0iscussion on
16ternal %ulicit+ o# 4hu /u,hi, 8eijing; China Intercontinental Press, <77*, Page --,%
71
Accor!ing to 'hite Paer statistics liste! on ortals of State Council Infor#ation 1ffice of the Peole$s 0eu"lic
of China% htt;NNwww%scio%gov%cnN4f"sN%
19
Finister of Infor#ation 1ffice of the State Council, that the Infor#ation 1ffice of the State
Council truly "egan to shift its #ajor concern towar!s u"lic !ilo#acy% 'ith Fr% Zhao Ii4heng$s
efforts, they "egan to use :nglish an! a western style to release news in their conferences which
ha! "een gra!ually institutionali4e! since then%
#
:secially after the event of SA0S in ,++-, the
institution of the ress release conference was use! srea! infor#ation to various #inistries an!
co##issions in central govern#ent an! govern#ents at all other levels where such institution
were esta"lishe!% Particularly the ress release conferences of the Infor#ation 1ffice of the State
Council which have always attracte! nu#erous #e!ia fro# ho#e an! a"roa! to articiate using
the a!vantages of the great i#ortance of content issue!% This also goes along with thee great
authority of the eole who issue the news Ausually officials of #inisterial levelD, #ass
infor#ation of news an! so onK its "ran! effect has not just "een wi!ely accete! "y the society
an! #e!ia, "ut also receives great attention fro# lea!ers of the Party an! the nation% In ,+<+, the
Infor#ation 1ffice of the State Council has hel! MM ress release conferencesK the Chinese
Co##unist Party Central Co##ittee an! various !eart#ents of the State Council ha! hel! *7*
news release conferencesK the Party co##ittees of local govern#ents an! various rovinces
A!istricts or citiesD have hel! <,<* ress release conferences, which in total, there were <.JM
instances an increas of ,-+ co#are! with the total in ,++7%
3
The Infor#ation 1ffice of the State
Council has "eco#e #ore an! #ore li/e the Central Processing Unit in China$s overseas u"licity
#anage#ent oeration, an! is also the #ost crucial lea!ing organi4ation of China$s u"lic
!ilo#acy%
Un!er the lea!ershi of the Foreign Pu"licity ?ea!ing Brou an! China Central Proagan!a
Deart#ent, China #ainly relies on the #ainstrea# #e!ia to carry out u"lic outreach% This
inclu!esChina 0a!io International, China Central Television, 3inhua =ews Agency, PeoleEs
Daily, China Daily, Blo"al Ti#es an! other #ainstrea# #e!ia% Since ,++,, China has "egun the
i#le#entation of olicies for the ra!io an! television222 Ggo outsi!e rojectG an! vigorously
ro#otes the use of ra!io, television an! culture$s enterrises an! ro!ucts to roject their
#essage%
J9
Are na#e! as the GHoice of ChinaG222 China 0a!io International #a/es great efforts to
strengthen the glo"al coverage an! it falls to China =ational 0a!io to "roa!cast all over the worl!%
Currently, there are9- languages A-. foreign languages an! Chinese Fan!arin as well as 9 /in! of
!ialectsD use! to "roa!cast aroun! the worl!% There are a total of <,+++ ca!res sea/ing -. foreign
languagesan! nearly M++ e!itors, reorters, rofessional an! technical ersonnel ,a <++ erson
foreign staff,-+ foreign correson!ent stations locate! oneach continents an! it has #ore than
-M++ listener organi4ations aroun! the worl!%
J*
Another i#ortant asect has "een Chinese
television lan!ing overseas an! has also #a!e significant rogress% 8y the en! of ,+<+, CCTH ha!
M international channel overseas lan!ing oerations aroun! the worl! an! cooerates with ,.7
local #e!ia an! i#le#ents -7, entire channels%The art ti#e !ivision lan!ing rojectreache! a
total of <9< countries an! regions in achieving the rogra#Es lan!ing ho#e "roa!cast% The entire
channel users are rojecte! to "eof a"out <J+,7,+,+++ users% In ,++72,+<<, after the 0ussian,
Ara"ic, Portuguese an! :nglish news channels were launche!, it constitutes "roa!cast attern of
Chinese AAsia, :uroe, A#erica, three e!itionD, :nglish ABeneral, =ewsD, Sanish, French,
72
?iu 5ian#ing; Intro)uction on Ne$s .elease, 8eijing; Tsinghua University Press ,++M e!ition%
73
'ang Chen; Achievements o# State Council In#ormation O##ice o# the %eople*s .epulic o# China 7898 /ainl+
1mo)+ on Seven Aspects, htt;NNwww%scio%gov%cnN&w"jsN4ygyNwangchenNjhN,+<+<,Nt.-M*<J%ht#
74
Davi! 8an!urs/i, >Proagan!a 6ea! ?iu Cunshan Pro#otes Co##erciali4ation of Fe!ia to Strengthen China$s
Cultural Soft Power@, China Fe!ia Project, <+ Aril ,++J%
75
The !ocu#ents source China 0atio International we"site,htt;NNg"%cri%cnNcriNg/%ht#
20
0ussian, Ara"ic, Portuguese ,which is in total J languages, <+ international channels an! its
rogra# are "roa!caste! to <-+2<9+ countries worl!wi!e% This covers nearly 9N* of the
oulation, "roa!casts ti#ely news coverage fro# aroun! the worl! an! there is china voices in
the !aily reorts an! #ajor events on glo"al issue%
JM

In a!!ition, the Chinese fil# in!ustry in the international arena is also increasingly active an!
articiates in international ra!io an! fil# festivals% It strengthene! its overseas ra!io an!
television rogra#s ro#otion an! also hol!s large foreign cultural ra!io2television
co##unications an! literature2art erfor#ances% For e&a#le, the China Fil# Brou Cororation
hol!s Chinese Fil# Festivals na#e! G8ig FacG% 8y ,+<+, the co#any alrea!y has #ore than ,+
su"si!iary co#anies with an annual outut #ore than -+ full length fil#s, annual outut of #ore
than 9++ T%H% rogra#s an! annually #ore than <++ #a!e for TH #ovies an! annual issues of J+
!o#estic an! i#orte! fil#s% Chinese fil#s also laying a increasingly i#ortant role in the
international arena #ore an! #ore%
JJ

In a!!ition to ra!io an! television, the Chinese news #e!ia has also ut in a lot of resources%
Through the ro#otion "y 3inhua =ews Agency, PeoleEs Daily, China Daily, the =ational
Foreign ?anguage 8ureau as well as a series of #e!ia organi4ations, it is for#ing a rai! an!
ti#ely news co##unication syste#% 3inhua =ews Agency is the official national news agency, it
rovi!es real2ti#e te&t news, financial infor#ation, news charts an! ictures% At resent, 3inhua
=ews Agency has #ore than <++ "ranches, su"2"ranches, an! e!itorial !eart#ents all over the
worl! an! in so#e countries an! regions% 3inhua =ews Agency also e#loys a certain nu#"er of
foreign reorters "y using Chinese, :nglish, French, Sanish, 0ussian, Ara"ic an! Portuguese
language reorting% 3inhua =ews Agency has #ore than *++ ersons statione! a"roa! #ore than
-++ who are journalists an!e!itors an! it for#s the overseas news collection an! u"lication
networ/ with hea!)uarters in 8eijing% 8eijing functions as the center an! has su"2"ranches an!
other "ranches as #ain suort in J languages an! continuous ,9 hours a !ay reorting !aily in
Chinese, :nglish, French, 'est, Ara", 0ussian, Portugal languages%
J.

GPeoleEs DailyG is the official newsaer of the CPC Central Co##ittee an! also its
overseas e!ition is the #ost authoritative an! co#rehensive Chinese language !aily a#ong other
china overseas issues% It is consi!ere! the lin/ or "ri!ge for international cooeration an!
co##unication% The Pri#ary au!ience is the overseas Chinese, co#atriots of 6ong Kong Facao
an! Taiwan, overseas stu!ents an! staffs% GChina DailyG is the largest newsaer in circulation
overseas% There are #ore than -*+ secial correson!ents in 7+ countries an! regions an! its
single erio!ical u"lication circulation are #ore than ,++ #illion coies%
J7
In 5anuary ,++9,
GChina DailyG has change! significanltyto an e&an!ing version, e#hasi4ing the visual i#act of
the overall layout, highlighting authority of news an! focus on rea!er, aying attention to in !eth
coverage an! news features an! striving to rovi!e a uni)ue news analysis% For !aily hot issues,
GChina DailyG u"lishes an e!itorial co##entary to reflect an! reresent the voice of the Chinese
authority% GBlo"al Ti#esG is a su"si!iary of GPeoleEs Daily@ an! has ha! a growing influence in
recent years an! is consi!ere! as #ore of a reresentative of GChinese =ationalis#G%
.+
In Aril
76
CCTH 1verseas )ommunication 4e.a'tment log,>CCTH International channel overseas lan!ing
status@,htt;NN"log%cntv%cnNht#lNJ-N.+M<J-2<+.J%ht#l
77
Docu#ent source State Administration of Radio, Film and Television official
we"site,htt;NNwww%sarft%gov%cnNarticlesN,++JN+MN+<N,++J+7+9<+-M<.J-+,-+%ht#l
78
March 2011, Xinhua News Agenc foreign affair !rinci!al interview " author#
79
htt;NNwww%china!aily%co#%cnN#o"ileN
80
?ee 5ung =a#, >The 0evival of Chinese =ationalis#; Persectives of Chinese Intellectuals@, ASIA=
P:0SP:CTIH:, Hol% -+, =o% 9, ,++M, % <9<2<M*%Man scholars have critici$ed the %&lo"al Times%
21
,+th ,++7, GBlo"al Ti#esG issue! an :nglish language e!ition along with esta"lishing an :nglish
languagewe"site% Following the GChina Daily@, it "eco#e the secon! :nglish language
co#rehensive newsaer issue! in China %The e&traor!inary reorts "y GBlo"al Ti#esG resulte!
in wi!esrea! international an! !o#estic #e!ia attention an! it often inclu!es coies "y the
Associate! Press, 0euters, AFP, Kyo!o =ews Agency an! reeate!ly rerinte! "y the worl!Es
lea!ing newsaers
China Foreign ?anguages Pu"lishing is also an i#ortant art of foreign co##unications%
The Foreign ?anguages Pu"lishing an! Distri"ution A!#inistration is resonsi"le for u"lication
an! !istri"ution in china, it is often referrs to the Chinese Foreign language 1ffice, an! also
/nown as the China International Pu"lishing Brou ACIPBD% Currently, this organi4ation has
nearly -,+++ e#loyees which inclu!ing hun!re!s of foreign e&erts an! it has ,+ affiliate!
institutions, which inclu!ing <+ u"lishing houses, * erio!ical offices ,China =etwor/, China
International 8oo/ Tra!ing Cororation, foreign co##unication research center, translation
)ualification evaluation centers an! other units% It has set u overseas "ranches in the Unite!
States, 8ritain, Ber#any, 8elgiu#, 0ussia, :gyt, Fe&ico, 5aan, 6ong Kong an! other <,
countries an! regions to for# an enterrise attern covering translation, u"lishing, rinting,
!istri"ution, Internet ,#ulti#e!ia services, theoretical research an! social fiel! etc% It annually
u"lishes #ore than -,+++ /in!s "oo/ in <+ languages, e!its nearly -+ journals, oerates #ore
than -+ we" sites, issues u"lications to #ore than <.+ countries an! regions to its networ/
au!ience aroun! the worl!%
.<
In recent years, the Chinese Foreign ?anguage 1ffice initiative lans toics an! !esigns a
nu#"er of !o#estic an! international issues concern surroun!ing to enhance ChinaEs voice in the
worl!% For e&a#le, in 5anuary ,++J, Chinese Foreign ?anguage 1ffice lanne! an! #anage!
large2scale series "oo/ GChinese scholars see the worl!G to rovi!e a stage for Chinese lea!ing
scholars an! e&ert to ortray a Chinese Gworl! viewG so as to enhance Chinese scholars$ voice on
issues in the international research fiel!s%
.,
:&cet relying on !o#estic #e!ia, the Chinese govern#ent has "een aying #ore an!
#oreattention to the use of foreign #e!ia% :secially since the ,++. 1ly#ics greatly ro#ote!
the rocess of incororating international #e!ia into China% 8efore the 8eijing 1ly#ics, the
Chinese govern#ent rela&e! control #easures for the foreign journalists an! #e!ia so as to give
#ore coverage of foreign #e!ia ownershi% During Chinese lea!ers$ #ajor visits, the Chinese
lea!ers initiative has accete! coverage,u"lishing articles in foreign #e!ia, hol!ing a ress
conference, #a/e interaction with the countries local oulation, set u infor#ation centers, an!
e&laine! rofoun! theories in si#le languages to e&oun! ChinaEs olicy stance% This has show
China to aear #ore cooerative an! resonsi"le which results in a "etter i#age% 8efore the state
visit to the Unite! States, in 5anuary <J, ,+<<, Presi!ent Fr 6u 5intao accete! invitations "y the
U%S% GThe 'all Street 5ournalG an! the G'ashington PostG to host a joint written interview an!
answere! a reorterEs )uestion%
.-
In si#ilar aroaches in revious visit in Sain, Ber#any an!
the UK, Hice Pre#ier Fr ?i Ke)iang was u"lishe! in the article reflecte! in the local influential
#ainstrea# #e!iaK SainEs largest newsaer G=ational aerG, the Ber#anEs GSue!!eutsche
nationalist stand and editor in chief of &lo"al Times, Mr# 'u Xi(in, also have re!eated a !u"lic res!onse
htt;NNchina%huan)iu%co#NrollN,++72+9N99MJ**%ht#l
81
*Foreign language )ffice official we"site htt;NNwww%cig%org%cnNjjglN
82
'ang 5isi>C6I=A SCA?:,'10?D HI:'@htt;NNwww%china%co#%cnNinternationalNt&tN,++M2
+7N,.NcontentRJ,+<7.9%ht#
83

22
Zeitung aerG, the Unite! King!o#Es G Financial Ti#es G an! so on to hele! to war# the whole
of :uroe, an! was calle!G the char# of ChinaEs !ilo#acy in :uroe% G
.9
During the visit,
Chinese lea!ers u"lishe! their articles an! initiatives to intro!uce to the local u"lic China an!
its foreign tra!e olicies to give the west a #ore o"jective an! fair un!erstan!ing of ChinaEs
acco#lish#ents, which reflects a new way of ChinaEs !ilo#atic change%
Foreover, China has increasingly e#hasi4e! the i#ortance of networ/ infor#ation
#anage#ent% =ot only have govern#ent !eart#ents set u we"sites, "ut also the #e!ia has "een
encourage! to set u we"sites% Fore an! #ore focus has "een lace! on #o"ile hones, "log,
#icro "logging, social #e!ia an! other new #e!ia an! this has a rofoun! i#act on Chinese
co##unication% In 5anuary ,-, ,++J, the CPC Central Co##ittee Political 8ureau hel! thirty2
eighth collective learning rogra#s, to !evelo content an! networ/ technology for the worl! of
Internet culture% The co##ittee$s rogra#s also "uil! on construction an! #anage#ent roose!
"y increasing the height of ChinaEs soft ower to enhance networ/ #anage#ent an! networ/
control for u"lic !o#inan rights
.*
Therefore, "ase! on the seciali4e! resonsi"ility for networ/
#anage#ent "y the fifth "ureau, the State Infor#ation 1ffice has set u the ninth "ureau to ta/e
care of networ/ cultural !evelo#ent an! gui!e to e&an! the scoe of #anage#ent for online
foru#s, "log, #icro "logging as well as the tra!itional well site #anage#ent,%
.M
In ,+<<, !uring
GThe Two SessionsG, #any Chinese govern#ent officials have oene! u to #icro "logging to
e&ress their views on foreign affairs%
Pu($ic Di+$o,ac% and Chinese Discursive Power
Pu"lic !ilo#acy is a vital tool to enhance the Chinese Discursive Power% As a #atter of
course, China$s awareness of u"lic !ilo#acy follows an unconscious2to2conscious rocess% At
the start, there was no u"lic !ilo#acy in the Chinese foreign !ilo#acy ter#inology% The
overseas !ilo#acy research institutions has ai! attention to the stu!ies of ro"le#s relate! to the
u"lic !ilo#acy while >the !o#estic aca!e#ic circles just get starte! to stu!y these ro"le#s,
still leaving #uch to "e !esire!@
.J
China still lags "ehin! in stu!ies of u"lic !ilo#acy an! the
earliest u"lication in this resect was >Foreign Dilo#acy@ "y Zhou Iieng, a rofessor fro#
China Foreign Affairs University ACFAU) , #ainly intro!ucing the concets a"out u"lic
!ilo#acy, "ut it was co#aratively si#le an! s/etchy% ?ater Professor ?u Ci u"lishe! >An
Intro!uction of Foreign Dilo#acy@ in <77J, further analy4ing an! interreting the #eaning of
Pu"lic Dilo#acy, co#"ining the eole2to2eole !ilo#acy with the u"lic !ilo#acy% The
author thought that the eole2to2eole !ilo#acy an! eole$s !ilo#acy are the innovative
creation for the Chinese foreign !ilo#acy%
..
>An Intro!uction to Dilo#acy@, was a lan!#ar/
"oo/ focusing on foreign !ilo#acy with Chinese characteristics, "asically i!entifying the
aca!e#ic osition of foreign !ilo#acyK yet, it is co#aratively rough an! inaccurate on the
whole, only rovi!ing a fra#ewor/ for further stu!y% In recent years, un!er the gui!ance of the
i#ortant i!eology of >Three 0eresents@ an! the hilosohy of >Dilo#acy for the eole@,
84
?i4 Al!er#an, >8eijing, Ten!ering Suort to :uroe, 6els Itself@, The =ew Cor/ Ti#es, 5anuary M, ,+<<%
85
>The s!irit of innovation and strengthen the networ* culture "uilding and management %,% !eo!le+s
dail %,anuar 2-, 200.#
86
Ma 'aoliang, %set u! the ninth "ureau to ta*e charge of /nternet culture " State /nformation )ffice %,
%Ta 0ung 1ao%, A!ril 21, 2010, !# A12 version#
87
Iu 3ing, >Factors Affecting Foreign Dilo#acy Increase Drastically@, World Affairs! 5ssue 6o. 23!
2002..40
88
?u Ci, et al, An Intro!uction of Foreign Dilo#acy, 8eijing; 3orld Affairs 1ress, <77J <M92M*
23
China has ai! #ore an! #ore attention to u"lic !ilo#acy in the u"lic an! the civil society
sectors at ho#e an! a"roa!, an! the has "eco#e an integral art of the Chinese foreign !ilo#acy
si#ilar to the rover"ial !ar/ horse%
)% CPPCC De!ines Pub#ic Dip#omacy as one o! its Important Functions
The Chinese PeoleEs Political Consultative Conference ACPPCCD is an i#ortant
organi4ation of the Chinese Patriotic an! De#ocratic Unite! Front as well as the sure#e "o!y for
olitical consultation, co#ose! of reresentatives fro# all social sectors%It is regar!e! as the
#ain "o!y of the u"lic !ilo#acy as it has govern#ent suort, "ac/groun! an! can also
reresent the general u"lic% Since ,++7, the CPPCC has ai! ever2increasing attention to u"lic
!ilo#acy% 5ia Iinglin, chair#an of the =ational Co##ittee of the Chinese PeoleEs Political
Consultative Conference, !elivere! a stan!ing co##ittee wor/ reort in ,+<< an! e#hasi4e!
strengthening u"lic !ilo#acy of the CPPCC si& ti#es in the reort%
.7
Fany #e#"ers of the
CPPCC have #a!e great efforts to ro#ote the u"lic !ilo#acy as the fourth function inclu!ing
olitical consultation, !e#ocratic suervision, an! articiation in the !eli"eration an!
a!#inistration of state affairs%
7+

At resent, the u"lic !ilo#acy has "eco#e an i#ortant art of the wor/ content for the
CPPCC which has set u three i#ortant u"lic !ilo#acy latfor#s%
7<
The first one is the China
Co##ittee on 0eligion an! Peace esta"lishe! in <779, co#ose! of reresentatives fro# all #ajor
religions, inclu!ing 8u!!his#, Taois#, Isla#, Catholicis# an! Christianity, etc%% It is a national
non2rofit social organi4ation with an in!een!ent legal ersonality% In recent few years, this
organi4ation has #a!e an! entere! into a#ica"le agree#ents with International Co##ittee for the
Peace Council an! Asia Co##ittee on 0eligion an! Peace, etc% It hasalso esta"lishe! the "ilateral
co##unication #echanis# with foreign religion an! eace organi4ations an! ositively
articiate! in all /in!s of activities to resent to the worl! the great achieve#ents #a!e in ter#s
of unity an! har#ony in the Chinese religion sectors%
The secon! one is >the ,<st Century Foru#@ launche! in <77M "y inviting Chinese an!
overseas figures or !ignitaries, rofessionals an! scholars for se#inars% Fro# the :ighth =ational
Co##ittee of the CPPCC, the foru# was hel! every five years, <77M, ,+++, ,++* an! ,+<+
resectively, which have "een great events !rawing #uch attention at ho#e an! a"roa!% The thir!
one is >China :cono#ic an! Social Council@ set u in ,++<, co#ose! of e&erts, scholars fro#
the econo#ic sector, social sector, an! #anagers an! oerators fro# the relevant cororate entities
in China% This council is !evote! to ro#oting the e&change an! cooeration "etween this
council,si#ilar international associations an! their #e#"er organi4ations, an! "etween the social
an! econo#ic research organi4ations in all countries an! regions% In a!!ition it is e)ually !evote!
to u"lici4ing China$s socio2econo#ic olicies, !rawing on the overseas a!vance! e&erience an!
ro#oting all econo#ic an! social artners in the worl! to con!uct "ilateral !ialogue on a larger
scale% The Foreign Affairs Co##ittee of the CPPCC =ational Co##ittee is co##itte! to
ro#oting China$s u"lic !ilo#acy un!erta/ings with the concerte! efforts #a!e "y a large
nu#"er of senior !ilo#ats an! #e#"ers of the CPPCC, an! have "een enthusiastic a"out the
foreign !ilo#acy cause, has ta/en its initiative an! score! re#ar/a"le achieve#ents% It has not
89
5ia Iinglin, >'or/ 0eort of the Stan!ing Co##ittee of the =ational Co##ittee of the CPPCC @,
htt;NNwww%ccc%gov%cnNage%
90
6an Fang#ing, >6an Fang#ing;:arnestly Transfor# the Potential A!vantages of the Chinese Pu"lic Dilo#acy
into the 0ealistic 0esults@, Pu"lic Dilo#acy Iuarterly, ,+<+, Issue =o% <
91
Zheng 'antong, >Fulti2atterns of CPPCC Os Pu"lic Dilo#acy@, Pu"lic Dilo#acy Iuarterly, ,+<+, Issue =o%
9
24
only set u the Pu"lic Dilo#acy Brou, "ut also lanne! to launch a journal, >Pu"lic Dilo#acy
Iuarterly@, which is !ee#e! as the official voice channel for vigorously ro#oting u"lic
!ilo#acy% In the 8oar! of :!itors are several officials at the #inisterial an! !euty #inisterial
level, which is rate! as >the 6ighest ?evel 8oar! of :!itors in China@%
7,
-% /inistry o! Foreign A!!airs &a"es Pub#ic Dip#omacy as Another Arm o! the Chinese
Foreign Dip#omacy
It was not until ,++< that the Finistry of Foreign Affairs ca#e to reali4e the significance of
u"lic !ilo#acy% Affecte! "y the ever2increasing attention to u"lic !ilo#acy "y the USA after
the 9N11 incident! the Chinese Foreign Finistry also incororate! u"lic !ilo#acy into the
foreign affairs % Starting fro# ,++,, China Foreign Affairs University con!ucte! a !ilo#atic
ca!res$ training class which e#hasi4e! u"lic !ilo#acy as an i#ortant art of its training
content% In ,++-, the Pu"lic Dilo#acy Division was set u in the Infor#ation Deart#ent of the
Finistry of Foreign Affairs, fully resonsi"le for #atters relate! to the u"lic !ilo#acy,
articularly "y hol!ing the 1en Day events% 1n the afternoon of Dece#"er ,-, ,++-, ?i
Zhao&ing, Foreign Finister hel! an online foru# with the u"lic, which was the first ti#e in the
Chinese history% ,J,+++ =eti4ens articiate! in this event% =eti4ens were unscruulous in raising
)uestions while the foreign #inister was honest an! outso/en in answering the )uestions, #uch
to the leasure of the articiants%
7-
In the secon! half of ,++7, the Pu"lic Dilo#acy Division of the Infor#ation Deart#ent of
the Finistry of Foreign Affairs was ugra!e! to the status of >Pu"lic Dilo#acy 1ffice@, #ainly
resonsi"le for, hol!ing large u"lic !ilo#acy activities, such as the u"lic oen !ay eventsK
"riefing !o#estic ress on Chinese foreign !ilo#acy olicies an! the stan!oints a"out the
international hot issuesK coor!inating the u"lic !ilo#acy wor/ "etween the Finistry of Foreign
Affairs an! it$s the su"or!inate !eart#ents an! other co##issions an! !eart#entsK ta/ing
resonsi"ility for "uil!ing the u"lic infor#ation we"site an! ,+9 su"2we"sites, an! a!#inistering
the foreign !ilo#acy foru#K coor!inating an! instructing the u"lic !ilo#acy of all e#"assies
an! consulates of the 0eu"lic of China in foreign countries an! regionsK con!ucting the u"lic
!ilo#acy investigations, etc% At the sa#e ti#e, the Finistry of Foreign Affairs #a!e atte#ts to
e&lore an the inter2#inisterial coor!ination #echanis# for u"lic !ilo#acy to strengthen
co##unication with olitical arties, =PC an! CPPCC, !eart#ents relate! to co##erce, culture,
e!ucation, science an! technology, #e!ia an! Thin/ Tan/, etc%
79
1n Sete#"er -+, ,+<+ the
Finistry of Foreign Affairs set u Advisory Co##ission on Public Diplomacy, co#ose! of
for#er officials fro# the Finistry of Foreign Affairs, for#er a#"assa!ors an! senior scholars,
etc%, #ainly resonsi"le for rovi!ing consultation for the Finistry of Foreign Affairs to carry out
u"lic !ilo#acy activities , an! articiating in lanning an! i#le#enting an! araising the
relevant activities% Zhang Zhijun, the a!#inistrative vice #inister, in charge of the Chinese u"lic
!ilo#acy affairs, re#ar/e!, >there woul! "e such a attern in the Chinese foreign !ilo#acy in
92
A Seech Delivere! "y A!#iral 3iong Buang/ai, for#er !euty Chief of Staff of PeoleEs ?i"eration Ar#y at
the Pu"lic Dilo#acy Se#inar of the Foreign Affairs Co##ittee of the CPPCC =ational Co##ittee on 1cto"er 7,
,+<+%
93
>>China Higorously Pro#ote Pu"lic Dilo#acy@, 1utloo/ 7eekl*! 1.'il 5! 2004
94
A Seech Fa!e "y 'ei 3in, Director of Pu"lic Dilo#acy 1ffice of Finistry of Foreign Dilo#acy at >China$s
Soft Power an! Pu"lic Dilo#acy@ Se#inar Sonsore! "y Carneigie2Tsinghua Center for Blo"al Policy on 5uly
<+, ,+<+
25
the near future; the govern#ent foreign !ilo#acy an! the u"lic !ilo#acy of e)ual
i#ortance@%
7*
Chinese foreign !ilo#acy will usher in a new era with a eole2oriente!,
rag#atic, oen an! transarent way%
Cang 5iechi, the Chinese Foreign Finister, u"lishe! an article in >ee!ing "ruth@, an
authoritative journal of the )&) )ent'al )ommittee in ,+<<, e&oun!ing the secific !uties of
the Finistry of Foreign Affairs to carry out u"lic !ilo#acy; first, to strengthen the u"lic
!ilo#acy !esign for high2level recirocal visits an! i#ortant foreign !ilo#acy activitiesK
secon!, to strengthen the foreign u"licity wor/ an! u"lic co##unication activitiesK thir!, to
strengthen the "uil!ing of the u"lic !ilo#acy institutional #echanis#K fourth, to strengthen the
"uil!ing of the contingent of u"lic !ilo#acy ca!res
7M
In recent years, the Chinese Foreign
Finistry e&laine! the Chinese foreign !ilo#acy olicies to the u"lic at ho#e an! a"roa! "y
sonsoring the u"lic lectures an! se#inars, etc%K the e#"assies an! consulates of the 0eu"lic of
China in foreign counties an! regions hel! hoto e&hi"itions, fil# festivals an! other activities
rich in content an! in !ifferent for# to !e#onstrate the !evelo#ents in the socio2econo#ic an!
other fiel!sK to strengthen cooeration with the local #e!ia, "roa!cast TH secial a"out China,
u"lish journals an! secial colu#ns to intro!uce situations in China so as to focus on China an!
let the worl! have an overall an! true un!erstan!ing of China% A#"assa!ors an! senior !ilo#ats
statione! a"roa! will strengthen co##unication with the local eole fro# all wal/s of life "y
!elivering seeches, u"lishing articles in the #ainstrea# #e!ia, acceting interviews an!
atten!ing se#inars, etc%, so as to enhance trust an! re!uce #isgivings , u"lici4e an! intro!uce the
Chinese !evelo#ent achieve#ents an! olicy stan!oints%
7J
Pu"lic !ilo#acy has "eco#e the
regular wor/ of the Finistry of Foreign Affairs%
.% &he /inistry o! Cu#ture ta"es the internationa# cu#tura# e(change activities as an
integra# part o! the pub#ic dip#omacy
In the ,<st century, Chinese cultural foreign !ilo#acy has alrea!y "een increasingly active,
as an integral art of national foreign !ilo#acy strategy% A series of large cultural foreign
!ilo#acy activities, such as, GChina2France Cultural CearG, GChina20ussia Cultural CearG,
GChina25aan Culture an! Sorts CearG, all of which has !rawn close attention an! e&tensive
articiation fro# Chinese an! foreign govern#ents along with eole fro# all wal/s of life, thus
elevating the international influence of the Chinese culture% Particularly, China2France Cultural
Cear was hel! every two years, !uring which Presi!ent 6u 5intao an! Presi!ent Chirac atten!e!
i#ortant events relating to the cultural year% Fillions of eole fro# "oth countries in #ore than
<+ cities ha! the oortunity to get closer an!un!erstan! a little #ore of their resective culture,
which not only ro#otes cultural e&change on "oth si!es "ut also ro!uce! the !e#onstration an!
ha! a chain reaction uon other counties in :uroe% After ,++*, Italy, Sain, Ber#any, Breece,
Unite! King!o# an! other countries co2sonsore! >cultural years@ or >cultural festivals@, setting
off a rush for #ore un!erstan!ing of the Chinese culture% As Cai 'u, #inister of Finistry of
Cultureintro!uce!, China #aintaine! e&cellent cultural co##unication relationshi with #ore
than <M+ countries an! regions an! successively signe! nearly .++ annual cultural e&change
95
A Seech Delivere! "y Zhang Zhijun, the a!#inistrative vice #inister, in charge of the Chinese u"lic
!ilo#acy affairs, at a consultation #eeting for u"lic !ilo#acy wor/ers
96
Cang 5iechi, >Strive for Initiating the =ew Pattern for Pu"lic Dilo#acy with the Chinese Features@, See/ing
Truth 5ournal, ,+<<, Issue =o% 9
97
>China Higorously Pro#ote Pu"lic Dilo#acy@, )utloo* 3ee*l, A!ril -, 2004
26
e&ecution rogra#s with <9* counties, so we see that through #ultilateral an! wi!e2ranging
foreign cultural e&changes a new attern has ta/en shae%
7.
In vigorously ro#oting an! i#le#enting the e&ortof the Chinese culture an! carrying
out the foreign cultural assistance rogra#s, we will ta/e ositive #easures to intro!uce the
e&cellent culture fro# aroun! the worl!% Since the <77+s, #any internal art the#e year activities
were hel!, such as, >International Sy#hony Cear@, >International Dance Cear@, >International Art
Cear@, etc%, focusing on intro!ucing the worl!2class cultural ro!uctsK "uil!ing the international
cultural e&change latfor#s, such as, >8eijing International Fusic Festival@, >Asia Art Festival@,
>China International Fol/ Art Festival@, etc%, to carry out the "ilateral, #ultilateral regional an!
international cultural cooeration, to consoli!ate the Chinese Discursive Power in the international
#ultilateral cultural affairs%
77
Through -+ years$ efforts, a series of influential cultural foreign
u"licity "ran!s have stoo! out, launching an! reco##en!ing the activities, such as >the Sring
Festival@, >the =ational Day Cele"ration@, >#$perience China@, etc%, having "eco#e the
i#ortant carrier to !isse#inate the Chinese culture% In articular, >1verseas Sring Festival@
activities, u to now, have covere! <. counties, attracting hun!re!s of thousan!s of eole fro#
8ang/o/,Thailan!, ?on!on, :nglan!, an! Sy!ney, Australia every year, all of which have !rawn
the attention fro# the olitical figures at ho#e an! a"roa! for ositive articiation, thus having
laye! the role as a vital stage to u"lici4e the Chinese culture%
<++
0% /inistry o! 1ducation ta"es the humanities dip#omacy as the supporting pi##ar o!
the pub#ic dip#omacy
In recent years, the Finistry of :!ucation consi!ershu#anities !ilo#acy as a illar to
coor!inate the overall national foreign !ilo#acy strategy an! vigorously carry out hu#anities
!ilo#acy with the ro#otion of the hu#anities e&change as a #e!iu#% 6u#anities !ilo#acy is
regar!e! as a foreign !ilo#acy tool of >the strongest olicy i##unity@, which can lay a ositive
role in #aintaining the sta"ility an! continuity of the foreign relations in case of tur#oil "etween
counties%
<+<
In Fay ,+<+, China too/ a lea! in esta"lishing the Sino2US 6u#anities :&change
6igh2level Consultation Fechanis# to ro#ote the i#le#ent ><+,+++ Strong Initiative@
favora"le to the US an! the Chinese 6u#anities :&change Progra#% The first chair#en in the
Sino2US 6u#anities :&change 6igh2level Consultation Fechanis# were ?iu Can!ong, the
Chinese State Councilor, an! 8illa'* )linton! the 9.:. :ec'eta'* o( :tate 'es.eciti$el*% 8oth
si!es will ta/e turns to convene an! resi!e over the 6u#anities :&change 6igh2level
Consultation Conference
<+,
,
In the Chinese hu#anities !ilo#acy, the Chinese language international e!ucation an!
oulari4ation have "eco#e i#ortant aroaches in !ilo#acy% In recent years, the !e#an! for
learning the Chinese language in all counties too/ a shar increase, so Confucius Institute are
ta/ing shae in goo! ti#e% Starting fro# ,++9, the Chinese govern#ent a!ote! the Sino2Foreign
98
Cai 'u, >Cultural Develo#ents During Thirty Cears of China$s 0efor# an! 1ening u@, Peole$s Daily,
Dece#"er *, ,++.%
99
A Seech Fa!e "y an 1fficial of 8ureau for :&ternal Cultural 0elations, Finistry of Culture at >China$s Soft
Power an! Pu"lic Dilo#acy@ Se#inar Sonsore! "y Carneigie2Tsinghua Center for Blo"al Policy on 5uly <+,
,+<+
100
Cai 'u, >Develo#ent Course of China$s Foreign Culture for Si&ty Cears in =ew China@, See/ing Truty, ,++7,
Issue =o% <*%
101
6ao Ping, Deuty Finistry of Finistry of :!ucation, #a!e a seech at a Se#inar hel! at Diaoyutai State 6otel%
102
htt;NNwww%gov%cnNjr4gN,+<+2+*N,+NcontentR<M<+999%ht#
Finistry of :!ucation, >China an! the US will Co2esta"lish the Sino2US 6u#anities :&change 6igh2level
Consultation Fechanis#@, Source; htt;NNwww%gov%cnNjr4gN,+<+2+*N,+NcontentR<M<+999%ht#
27
cooeration aroach to set u Confucius Institutes on every corner of the worl!% Confucius is
i!entifie! as a teaching "ran! to ro#ote the Chinese culture% 1n =ove#"er ,<, ,++9, the la)ue
unveiling cere#ony of the first >Confucius Institute@ was cere#oniously hel! in Seoul, S% Korea%
8y the en! of =ove#"er ,+<+, ,., Confucius Institutes an! ,J, Confucius Classes were set u in
.. countries an! regions Institute, coule! #any online Confucius Institutes an! 0a!io Confucius
Institutes% At resent, there are aro&i#ately 9+ #illion foreigners learning Chinese%
<+-
The
Chinese language learning has turne! out to "e a sotlight for the overall initiative of China
overseas char#%
Aart fro# strengthening the international Chinese e!ucation, China also ta/es an initiative
to vigorously ro#ote the Sino2Foreign cultural e&change, i#le#enting >the Progra# for
Pursuing :!ucation in China@ to e&an! the scale for #ore overseas stu!ents to co#e to China%
In recent years, the nu#"er of overseas stu!ents accete! into higher e!ucation in China
increases at the annual rate of ,+U on the average% In <77., the overseas stu!ents to China
reache! 9-,+++ ersonsK in ,++, it registere! .M,+++ ersons "ut "y ,++* the nu#"er oste! <9+
thousan!, an! the overseas stu!ents ca#e fro# #ore than <7+ countries an! regions%
<+9
To
strengthen the #anage#ent an! suort of these overseas stu!ents in China, the China
Scholarshi Council was set u, resonsi"le for rovi!ing the financial suort to the foreign
scholars an! stu!ents for aca!e#ic e&change in China an! the Chinese scholars an! stu!ents for
aca!e#ic e&change in foreign counties an! regions% 'hile the Chinese govern#ent #a/es the
great efforts to ro#ote the large2scale social e&change, even the U%S% Congress#en e(c#aimed
it as 2the Financial Deficit of the Sino2US Pu"lic Dilo#acy@.
<+*
% 1(hibition Activities 3ecome Important Stage !or Chinas Pub#ic Dip#omacy
Since ,++-, China has "een the host for a series of significant international activities, an! has
"een enthusiastic a"out "uil!ing u its national i#age fro# e&hi"ition activities on large scale%
These have inclu!e! activities an! !ialogues such as Si&2arty Tal/s on =orth Korea$s =uclear
Issue, Sino2Africa Cooeration Foru#, Sino2US Strategic Cooeration Dialogue, 'orl! :cono#ic
Foru# Su##er Davos, Sino2Ara" Cooeration Foru#% The Chinese govern#ent too/ great
a!vantage of those latfor#s to intro!uce their olicies an! a!vocacies to international an!
!o#estic #e!ia, as well as #easures an! achieve#ents in !eveloing frien!shis an! #utual
"enefits "etween China on one han! an! relative countries an! regions on the other% 'ith resect
to core issues concerning China an! e#ergencies, the Chinese govern#ent has #a!e ti#ely
state#ents a"out China$s olicy an! stan!oint reaching out to all circles, "y #eans of various
#anners inclu!ing arranging the Foreign Finistry so/es#an to !eclare its attitu!e, answer
journalists$ )uestions, accet a variety of #e!ia an! we"site interviews% :secially, ta/ing
a!vantage of 8eijing ,++. 1ly#ics Ba#es, China caitali4e! on an oortunity to e&ress its
/in!ness an! e&traor!inary achieve#ents, an! to intro!uce its ancient culture to the worl!% In
a!!itionthe ,+<+ 'orl! :&o in Shanghai attracte! J+ #illion visitors an! hele! to ena"le
Chinese eole to un!erstan! the worl! "etter% Accor!ing to 'u 6ailong, Assistant to Finister of
Foreign Finistry, who is in charge of Chinese #ultilateral !ilo#acy, !uring the :&o, the
103
Chen Zhen/ai, et al%, >Pu"lic Dilo#acy; =ew Sotlights of China$s Foreign Dilo#acy@, Peole$s Daily2
1verseas :!ition, Sete#"er <, ,+<+%
<+9
htt;NNnews%&inhuanet%co#Ne!uN,+<+2+,N<+NcontentR<,7M99<<%ht#
>Finistry of :!ucation will Initiate the Progra# to Accet +%< #illion A#erican Stu!ents to China for Stu!ies@,
source; htt;NNnews%&inhuanet%co#Ne!uN,+<+2+,N<+NcontentR<,7M99<<%ht#
105
>Another U%S% Deficit2China an! A#erican2Pu"lic Dilo#acy in the Age of the Internet@, A 0eort to the
Fe#"ers of the Co##ittee on Foreign 0elations Unite! States Senate, Fe"ruary <*, ,+<<%
28
Chinese govern#ent has !elicately integrate! u"lic !ilo#acy ele#ents in activities in view of
oening cere#ony such as the national !ay of China avilion, ea/ foru#s an! the closing
cere#ony, ro#ote! the articiation of foreign lea!ers to accet interviews, an! invite! hun!re!s
of journalists fro# !eveloing countries to China% Arranging :&o concierge a#"assa!ors to
accet interviews an! to co##unicate online with neti4ens as well as assiste! e#"assies an!
consulates in other countries to host e&o2oriente! activities, as a result, China e&an!e! the
international i#act of the :&o an! rove! to have a great effect on u"lic oinion%
<+M
In a!!ition, Chinese govern#ent con!ucts u"lic !ilo#acy activities in #ilitary, tra!e an!
aca!e#ic fiel!s, a!!ing scores to China$s i#age "y #eans of ractical actions% For e&a#le,
Chinese govern#ent !isatche! navy shis to Bulf of A!en an! So#ali 'aters for #erchant an!
civil escorts on Dece#"er ,M, ,++.% As of Dece#"er ,+<+, China =avy has !isatche! J grous,
totalling <. naval vessels, <M helicoters an! 97+ secial oerations tea# #e#"ers, to erfor#
escort #issions% China$s =avy use! #etho!s to con!uct the escort action such as acco#anying
escort, regional atrol an! guar!ing shis, an! has rovi!e! safeguar! for -<-7 vessels "oth
!o#estic an! international, in which, it has rescue! ,7 vessels suffering irate attac/s an! has
ic/e! u an! escorte! 7 vessels, i#roving su"stantially the overseas i#age of China =avy%
<+J
Further#ore, overseas ac)uisition activities in ,+<+ such as Beely$s urchase of Holvo an! the
ac)uisition of Unocal "y C=11C AChina =ational 1ffshore 1il CororationD, China increase!
foreign lo""ying activities, trying to e&ress its intention an! interest "y internationally a!oting
this wi!ely use! u"lic relation s/ill%
<+.
Conc#usion: &oward a Chinese Discourse 4or#d
After the Col! 'ar an! influence! "y the ter#ination of the war an! Tianan#en :vents,
China$s international i#age was to a large e&tent negative an! #any countries treate! China as a
re! an! !angerous country%
<+7
6owever, the international !eart#ent of 88C has con!ucte! civil
investigation for i#age of various countries on glo"al u"lic oinion since ,++*% The results
showe!, China$s national i#age has always "een in a rising con!ition in the #in!s of eole
aroun! the worl!% A#ong the oulation un!er investigation, there was not a country in which the
nu#"er of eole with negative attitu!e towar!s China e&cee!e! *+U fro# the whole of
reson!ent$s, instea!, the nu#"er of eole "earing an oinion that China has #a!e an active an!
ositive i#act to the worl!, e&cee!e! the sa#e investigation of US an! 0ussia% Si#ilar results
have "een o"taine! fro# #any civil investigation institutions such as Pew Center an! Ballu%
<<+
1n 5anuary -+, ,+<<, the result of the large e#irical research, >China in the eyes of the
A#erican@, u"lishe! "y Shanghai 5iao Tong University, showe! that the A#erican eole ha!
increasingly felt "enefits fro# the e&cellent )uality an! reasona"le rice of Chinese goo!s, an! the
106
'u 6ailong, >The Practice an! :nlight#ent of Shanghai$s :&o Dilo#acy@, the :uarterl+ %ulication on
%ulic 0iplomac+, ,+<< =o%<%
107
The Press 1ffice of P0C State Council; the China 0e#ence 7898 A'hite PaerD, Far -<, ,+<<%
108
Farina 'al/er Buevara an! 8o" 'illia#s, >China Stes u Its ?o""ying Ba#e,@ ?o""y 'atch, Sete#"er
<-, ,++*%htt;NNwww%lo""ywatch%orgK 0o"ert Dryfuss, >The =ew China ?o""y,@ The A#erican Prosect,
=ove#"er -+, ,++,%htt;NNwww%rosect%orgK ?i4ette Alvare4, >The China Tra!e 'rangle, The Silicon ?o""y;
6igh2Tech Co#anies Fa/ing Their First 8ig Push in Congress on a Tra!e 8ill,@ The =ew Cor/ Ti#es, Fay
<., ,+++%htt;NNwww%nyti#es%co#
109
0ichar! 8ernstein L 0oss 6% Funro, The Co#ing Conflict with China, =ew Cor/; Alfre! A% Knof, <77JK
=icholas D% Kristof, >The 0eal Chinese Threat,@ "he Ne$ ;or2 "imes, August ,J, <77*, %*+2*<K SUnite! StatesT
To#asV8or/ L SChinaT Ding 8ocheng; the Chinese 0ream at the Other Si)e o# the Ocean<=ie$ o# China #rom US
&1lites>, 8eijing; Foreign ?anguages Press Hersion ,+++%
110
For the result of the civil investigations con!ucte! "y 88C, visit the we"site
htt;NNwww%glo"escan%co#NnewsRarchivesN""c+M2-Nin!e&%ht#l
29
goo! i#ression level of A#ericans on China was rising in general%
<<<
In less than two !eca!es,
China$s overseas i#age has turne! fro# a !angerous country to a country Aesecially in Asia2
Pacific regionD where the i#act of China$s soft ower is even consi!ere! surassing that of the
US, which resulte! in a surrise call fro# A#erican strategic in!ustry relate! to the na#e!
>Char# 1ffensive@ fro# China%
<<,
6ow coul! all of those "e i#ossi"le( In ter# of ower co#arison, China has seen an
evi!ent rise in econo#ic an! #ilitary ower, "ut such rise !oes not change the ower co#arison
"etween China an! western countries, esecially "etween China an! the US% The rise on China$s
ower !oes not have an un!erlying #otive in structural change, an! international u"lic oinion is
i#ossi"le to generate fun!a#ental change resulting fro# ower co#arison% 0elatively, China$s
success !een!s #ore on China$s foreign strategy% Instea! of the >1utut 0evolution@ e#hasi4e!
!uring the Fao Ze!ong ti#es, what China a!vocates nowa!ays is, non2interference within
!o#estic affairs of other countries, inclu!ing rovisions of assistance without any a!!itional
olitical con!itions an! non2incite#ent of relationshis a#ong other countries, which rovi!es
)uite a !ifferent !evelo#ent #o!el fro# western countries% All of those have for#e! an evi!ent
contrast with the !ilo#acy olicies con!ucte! "y the US in #any years, which are hu#anitarian
intervention, !eveloing assistance with a!!itional con!itions in hu#an rights an! goo!
governance, as well as aggressive !ilo#acy inclu!ing alliance strengthening an! regi#e change%
8esi!es, the China$s !evelo#ent #o!el has a great !ifference fro# the >'ashington Consensus@
ro#ote! "y the US actively all the ti#e% In the view of international society, esecially fro#
e#erging econo#ic entities an! !eveloing countries, all of who# have for#e! two tyes of
!evelo#ent route an! #o!el% 6owever, the Ira) 'ar in ,++- an! the worl! financial crisis in
,++. crushe! the !evelo#ent #o!el le! "y the US, the international lea!ershi of the US$
!iscursive ower shoo/, hence, China$s !iscursive ower o"taine! great "enefits%
Feanwhile, the i#rove#ent in China$s i#age has resulte! fro# the success in China$s
!ilo#acy% Since ,++-, the change in China$s !ilo#acy #ainly showe! its esta"lish#ent of the
strategic route of Peach an! Develo#ent% Different fro# the western strategy of showing off their
har! ower, China has ai! great attention on a!oting strategic lanning, which is focusing on
enhancing its soft ower while !eveloing its har! ower, ta/ing a series of new #easures on
fiel!s inclu!ing i!eology, e&ternal u"licity an! u"lic !ilo#acy, an! "ringing forwar! a whole
new set of !iscursive syste#s, which is largely !ifferent fro# revious syste#s% Concerning the
!iscursive syste# "rought forwar! "y China, it !i! not co#ly fully with the western syste#, an!
instea!, it raise! a new syste# in co#arison with such syste#% 1n Fay <<, ,++9, Fr%5oshua
Cooer 0a#o, Senior Consultant of Bol!#an Sachs an! A!junct Professor of Tsinghua
University, u"lishe! a research reort na#e! >The 8eijing Consensus@ on The Foreign Policy
Centre, 8ritish
<<-
, which triggere! hot !iscussions on the Chinese #o!el in the international
society Chinese scholars have starte! hot !e"ates on >universal value@ an! the >China #o!el@
since then%
Do#estic aca!e#ia an! high level lea!ers in China have not reache! a consensus on the
!iscussion of China #o!el, "ut they have reache! a agree#ent on the enhance#ent of China$s
!iscursive ower in international society% Fro# the na#e! >new olicy of 6u 5intao an! 'en
111
0esearch 8ase of =ational I#age an! City Culture Innovation Strategy; the China in the e+es o# American,
Shanghai 5iao Tong University, 5anuary -+, ,+<+%
112
5oshua Kurlant4ic/, Char# 1ffensive; 6ow ChinaEs Soft Power Is Transfor#ing the 'orl!, =ew 6aven; Cale
University Press, ,++J%
113
5oshua Cooer The 8eijing Consensus, ?on!on, The Foreign Policy Centre, Sring ,++9%
30
5ia"ao@, the highest lea!ers in the country, to the active e&loration con!ucte! "y Chinese
govern#ent in e&ternal u"licity an! u"lic !ilo#acy, #any wor!s on !ilo#acy ut forwar! "y
China, such as har#onious society, har#onious worl! an! China #o!el, have enhance! the
!iscursive ower osition of China in glo"al society% In articularly, after the out"rea/ of
international financial crisis, China #o!el not only >sets a goo! e&a#le@ for international
society, "ut also is welco#e! "y the Thir! 'orl! countries% 1"viously, China chooses to join the
international society le! "y a western value hel! concet fro# thirty years ago, "ut it !i! not lan
to accet co#letely the na#e! >universal value concet@ of the western countries, nor wish to "e
a #e#"er of those countries% Instea!, China wishes to start fro# its national i!entityan! for# a
worl! fro# China$s wor!, an! insist in the !evelo#ent roa! with Chinese characteristics, so as to
reali4e the great revival of the Chinese nation% In or!er to reali4e this century !rea#, China is "usy
!rawing on its !iscursive ower an! achieving this strategy with great efforts in u"lic !ilo#acy%
31