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China’s soft power

China’s soft power
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China’s soft power. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Protesters against US President Donald Trump’s decision to virtually shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at the Capitol in Washington on February 5. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

To counter China, US must maintain soft power and alliances, Congress hears

Witnesses tell House panel President Donald Trump’s recent foreign policy moves undercut effective mix of military, aid and influence.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | New Zealand need not fear China’s growing ties with Pacific nations

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Chinese culture

Opinion | Why Ne Zha 2 is part of a broader Chinese cultural renaissance

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China-Japan relations

China’s Xinhua seeks to work with Japan’s Kyodo amid push to boost views on ties

Chinese news agency chief presses Kyodo counterpart for more exchanges as Beijing aims to improve public opinion on Sino-Japanese relations.

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President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua (right) shakes hands with Toru Mizutani, president of Japan’s Kyodo News, in Tokyo on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
Chinese culture

Opinion | At last, Chinese folklore adds new flavour to global pop culture

Drawing on ancient myths, China’s film and gaming industry is offering the world refreshing alternatives to the traditional Western canon.

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DeepSeek

How DeepSeek could give China the soft power edge it’s looking for

If DeepSeek is cheaper alternative ‘it is possible that AI development and adoption in the Global South could take a Chinese turn’: analyst.

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Donald Trump

Video | What would the closure of USAID mean for Asia?

‘We all will die’: What would the end of USAID mean for Asia's most vulnerable?
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Diplomacy

Opinion | As the rules-based order declines, hegemony takes on a new form

From new development models to shifting norms, global power is now increasingly shared and contested across different regions and actors.

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China’s Communist Party

RedNote’s influx of ‘TikTok refugees’ could be a double-edged sword for Beijing

The authorities will be hoping new users of the app will get a favourable impression of China – but may be unnerved by some of their posts.

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Hong Kong culture

Opinion | To connect Hong Kong with the world, we must go beyond the superficial

The city’s evolving and intriguing pop culture can be a great source of soft power if its creative economy is developed from the grass-roots.

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Patrons sit in front of neon light decorations at the “Soundtrack of Our Lives: Joseph Koo x James Wong x the Rise of Cantopop” exhibition at Tai Kwun in Central, on July 15. Photo: Eugene Lee
China exports

How ‘made in China’ became trendy, thanks to Labubu toy’s Asia-wide success

Pop Mart toys are gaining global recognition for their unique designs and brand power.

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Labubu toys on display at the opening of a Pop Mart store in Bangkok, Thailand, in July. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Opinion | With visa-free initiative, China is betting on a simple truth

China is ready for the world to witness its development, experience its culture and engage with its people.

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Japan

Opinion | Japan’s soft power renaissance will help it attract the talent it needs

Japan’s enduring appeal should give it the confidence to move away from cautious foreign policy and act to build bridges around the world.

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China's economic recovery

Why has Shandong been given a key role in Beijing’s soft power push?

Economic powerhouse renowned for its mountains, coastline and cultural heritage aspires to expand its global influence.

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A 72-metre (236 feet) bronze Confucius statue at the Nishan Sacred Land on Nishan Mountain. Photo: Simon Song
Education

Being Chinese | In US vs Chinese soft power, guess how children are voting?

As children around me get sucked into the rabbit hole of Disney, Marvel and Netflix, I wonder about the reach of Chinese culture.

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Children have a chat at Shanghai Disney Resort in 2020. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong story best told through honest and open discussions

Talks in Britain and Spain by Financial Secretary Paul Chan brought much-needed direct engagement with political and business sectors in both countries.

Science

What time is it on the moon? China and the US are racing to decide

The space rivals are spearheading separate initiatives to create time standards that will be used to coordinate international lunar missions.

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South China Sea

Is China downplaying ‘restrained’ clash with fishermen near Paracel Islands?

Vietnam says Chinese personnel boarded a local fishing boat on Sunday and beat the crew with iron bars, seriously injuring four of them.

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Fishermen pulling their net on Vietnam’s offshore Ly Son island, the country’s closest island to the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Opinion | Can China football find success in a market-driven US model?

Creating a college sports system in China could fix the country’s struggles in team sports and open new avenues for US-China cooperation.

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Diplomacy

Inside Out | China-Africa summit a fitting showcase of Global South’s rise

The deals sealed and friendships renewed at FOCAC summit underline China’s role as a prime force of global power rebalancing.

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Chinese culture

Editorial | Younger generation spreads China culture from the ground up

The runaway success of Black Myth: Wukong has prompted analysts to praise it as a lift for cultural confidence that could advance Beijing’s soft-power agenda.

Black Myth: Wukong is a video game inspired by the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Photo: Xinhua
Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s soft power is making its mark as US doubles down on military might

While the US seems focused on military alliances, Beijing is holding out a vision of economic collaboration and trust between civilisations.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (second left) attend the China-Africa Leaders’ Roundtable Dialogue on the last day of the Brics Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 24, 2023. Photo: AP
China technology

My Take | Black Myth: Wukong is a learning moment in soft power

There will always be fans and haters. Learn to step back, relax and let your supporters defend and fight for you.

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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Xi praises China’s Olympians for winning ‘glory for the country and people’

President Xi Jinping meets country’s athletes at event in Beijing and says they won with ‘morality and integrity’.

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My Take

My Take | Can China present a ‘credible, lovable and respectable’ image to the world?

The country may be counting on support from the Global South but concern about Beijing’s behaviour is not just confined to the West.

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Deng Xiaoping’s favoured approach appears to have been abandoned. Photo: AP
Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong plays key role in promoting Taiwan’s reunification, top official says

In first visit by head of United Front Work Department since 2015, Shi Taifeng says ‘one country, two systems’ instrumental in rejoining Taiwan with motherland.

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Shi Taifeng, director of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, attends the Overseas Chinese World Conference for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China in Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong
China-Asean relations

Letters | China’s reform plan holds promise for Southeast Asia

Readers discuss the benefits of China’s reform push, the growing buzz around boys’ love, and Hong Kong’s property market.

China-EU relations

Can China’s charm offensive revive ties with central and eastern Europe?

Beijing attempts to woo Balkan and Central European countries, but faces scepticism over Russia relations and stalled cooperation mechanism.

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