Communicating confidence: China’s public diplomacy

Gary D. Rawnsley

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingBook Chapterpeer-review

    2 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This chapter assesses how public diplomacy reflects the rapid political, social, and economic changes in China. In particular, the ascendancy of President Xi Jinping, mega-events such as the Shanghai Expo in 2010, the launch of such programmes as the Belt and Road Initiative-reviving the ancient Silk Roads-and a more nationalistic political agenda around the “China Dream” have grown China’s confidence. China’s public diplomacy continues to receive extraordinary levels of investment, while restructuring of its public diplomacy architecture in 2018 created the Voice of China under more centralized control by the Communist Party, all designed to challenge the alleged distorted picture of China overseas. At the same time, the international community remains critical of China’s behavior both at home and overseas, with reports documenting human rights abuses and regular intimidation of Taiwan and Hong Kong. China’s public diplomacy must learn how to square its ambition, confidence, and its desire to reverse a “distorted” picture in the West with the more questionable character of Communist Party rule.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationRoutledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy
    PublisherTaylor and Francis
    Pages284-300
    Number of pages17
    ISBN (Electronic)9780429878954
    ISBN (Print)9781138610866
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2020

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Social Sciences

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