China`s Soft Power Construction in Southeast Asia Since the 21st Century
Author
Zheng, Chengxuan
Term
2. Term (Master)
Education
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-05-15
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan Kina siden begyndelsen af det 21. århundrede har opbygget og udøvet soft power i Sydøstasien, med forskningsspørgsmålet: hvilke fordele og hvilke mangler kendetegner Kinas soft power-konstruktion i regionen? Med Joseph Nyes teori om soft power som teoretisk ramme anvender studiet case- og komparative metoder. På baggrund af Pew Global Researchs data fra 2017 om velvilje over for Kina udvælges Indonesien og Laos – to lande med høj velvilje – samt Vietnam, hvor velviljen er lav, for at sammenligne mønstre af tiltrækning og modstand. Litteratur og internationale undersøgelser peger på, at Kina råder over væsentlige fordele i Sydøstasien, herunder rige kulturelle ressourcer, omfattende kulturelle og akademiske udvekslinger og konfucianske traditioners gennemslagskraft, samt initiativer efter 1997 inden for økonomisk bistand, sikkerhedssamarbejde og forbindelser mellem borgere. Samtidig beskrives Kinas soft power som ujævnt og begrænset modtaget i regionen, præget af utilstrækkelig kulturformidling, snævre kommunikationsformer og budskaber, der opfattes som for formålsbestemte eller politiske, under indflydelse af historiske spændinger og maritime stridigheder. Gennem sammenligningerne søger specialet at klarlægge, hvor Kinas soft power er effektiv, hvor den halter, og at skitsere forslag til en mere konstruktiv anvendelse i Sydøstasien.
This thesis examines how China has built and projected soft power in Southeast Asia since the early 21st century, asking: what are the advantages and shortcomings of China’s soft power construction in the region? Grounded in Joseph Nye’s soft power theory, the study uses case study and comparative methods. Guided by 2017 Pew Global Research favorability data, it compares Indonesia and Laos—countries with high favorability toward China—with Vietnam, where favorability is low, to identify patterns of attraction and resistance. Literature and international surveys indicate that China benefits from rich cultural resources, extensive cultural and academic exchanges, and the resonance of Confucian traditions, alongside post-1997 initiatives in economic assistance, security cooperation, and people-to-people ties. At the same time, perceptions of China’s soft power are described as uneven and limited across the region, constrained by insufficient cultural promotion, narrow communication channels, and messages perceived as overly instrumental or political, amid historical sensitivities and maritime disputes. Through these comparisons, the thesis aims to clarify where China’s soft power is effective, where it falls short, and to outline suggestions for deploying soft power more constructively in Southeast Asia.
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