I don’t think there’s need to argue between ourselves, I feel the true situation is somewhat between the 2 ends of the argument and I do agree with some of what fix_6ix9nine has said. China has a huge lack of soft power at least in the west, and its media finds it very difficult to find international audiences. It’s needs to work on this aspect but it’s very hard since it is not a part of the original western powers and it’s an uphill battle that may not be worth while right now. On the other hand, if China gets much stronger technologically, and they become somewhat self sufficient, they rely less on soft power. I felt that China has sooo many issues to deal with right now, they don’t have the energy to focus on soft power right now, just trying to continue to grow and become technologically self sufficient
China need a new geopolitical Doctrine ?
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I don’t think there’s need to argue between ourselves, I feel the true situation is somewhat between the 2 ends of the argument and I do agree with some of what fix_6ix9nine has said. China has a huge lack of soft power at least in the west, and its media finds it very difficult to find international audiences. It’s needs to work on this aspect but it’s very hard since it is not a part of the original western powers and it’s an uphill battle that may not be worth while right now. On the other hand, if China gets much stronger technologically, and they become somewhat self sufficient, they rely less on soft power. I felt that China has sooo many issues to deal with right now, they don’t have the energy to focus on soft power right now, just trying to continue to grow and become technologically self sufficient
Agreed. The quality of outward facing Chinese media like CGTN doesn't do justice to our point of view for western audiences. They don't a good job of promoting China or hitting back against fake news. The story is always some ''win-win" investment initiative in Africa or some story about foreigners singing the national anthem in Mandarin, you get my point. It's boring, not captivating content.
Instead they should be talking about American hypocrisy in the middle east, exposing racism against blacks and people of color, fact checking coronavirus conspiracy theories, exposing America's war Hawks, etc.
If you watch RT or Al Jazeera or even the Turkish TRT, they do a better job of catering to a western audience, but also promoting their point of view in a way that allows people to see the hypocrisy of the US.
Additionally if the government mouth piece like CGTN is too timid to directly criticize or meddle in internal affairs of the US. I think patriotic Chinese people overseas should start a private initiative to combat fake news. Plenty of Alternative media exist to promote a political agenda like Breitbart or The young Turks or the daily caller or WION, etc. I think we should create our own alternative media to hit back if CGTN don't want to or are not able to.
We probably have deeper insights into the attitudes and have a better feel on the pulse of the West. It's more effective than having an editor in Beijing writing for CGTN by translating articles written in Chinese that lack context.
Part of why CGTN or other gov funded don't connect with western audiences is that the cultural differences between China and the West Africa just too great.
People in China are extremely pragmatic, and are focused on physical things such as improvement in quality of life, economic development. etc. But lack a overarching framework of moral values (freedom, individualism, etx ) that audience in the West can relate to. Chinese morality is about respecting elders, etc.
When the West preaches human rights or democracy to Chinese people it annoys them because it seems Frivilous. While the West views China and Chinese people as amoral because of being pragmatic and generally not sharing the same moral values. Hence why it is so difficult for Chinese media to cater to western audiences.
People in China are extremely pragmatic, and are focused on physical things such as improvement in quality of life, economic development. etc. But lack a overarching framework of moral values (freedom, individualism, etx ) that audience in the West can relate to. Chinese morality is about respecting elders, etc.
When the West preaches human rights or democracy to Chinese people it annoys them because it seems Frivilous. While the West views China and Chinese people as amoral because of being pragmatic and generally not sharing the same moral values. Hence why it is so difficult for Chinese media to cater to western audiences.
manqiangrexue
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This lazy incompetent one line "response" is all you had for me after all I points I made? LOL
I changed nothing. You are illiterate as always. I said that China separates economics and politics when it's suitable for China, not in all circumstances. A ban isn't necessarily to change a country's behavior. Australia is a staunch US ally; you cannot expect to change that with any lazy soft power either; if Beijing did what you wanted, they would have given Australia something in appeasement and still got nothing back. Really the only way to change that is to defeat them in war and install a new government in them. Bans can be implemented simply because China does not want to give this part of its business to that government because it is a reward to be able to do business with China.
Why did you bring up Japan? It didn't have any "soft power" before the US handed its ass to it in WWII, and then it lost its soft power again... until its economy crashed. See a pattern? Whenever Japan has hard power, it loses its soft power and when that hard power is defeated, it gets its soft power back again. The key to this soft power is being weak and non-threatening. Japanese soft power is like America petting a dog. If it's small, it's a pet. If it's 8 feet tall, it's a monster and not cute anymore. This type of soft power is only achievable by China if China is defeated and solidly loses the challenge to US hegemony, then allows the US to create a puppet democracy. Then and only then will you see the type of Japanese "soft power" in China.
solarz
Brigadier
My advice: read a bit of history. Stop parroting what western media spoon feeds you, because it's all bovine excrement.
Ming dynasty was the "master" of soft power. They craved the approval of their smaller neighbors like Korea, Vietnam and Japan. Of course, they disguised that by claiming to be the celestial court and that all the neighboring countries need to pay tribute to the Son of Heaven.
What actually happened was that the imperial court was buying the tribute goods at many times the normal market rate. As expected, those neighboring countries were fighting each other to "pay tribute" to Ming. In fact, Japan had rival noble houses that would kill each other for the privilege of paying tribute to Ming. As the years went on, the Ming treasury began to feel the burden of this ludicrous system. The imperial court began to restrict the amount and frequency of the tributes, but never abandoned it altogether, because the "Celestial Empire" needed to appear grandiose to its neighbors. In the end, the Ming bankrupted itself after a series of military disasters and spiraled into collapse.
Someone once asked the question: if Jack Ma gave you a billion dollars to eat shit, would you do it? The best answer was: not only would I do it, I would eat until Jack Ma became bankrupt.
There's no such thing as "soft power" vs "hard power". Power is power. The only difference is in how you obtain it. What you refer to as "soft power" is like an imperial concubine scheming with eunuchs to gain the Emperor's favor. In the end, the power still lies with the Emperor, not the concubine. "Hard power" would be like raising a peasant army to topple the dynasty and become the Emperor yourself.
Obviously, western nations would much prefer China to be a concubine than the founder of a new dynasty.
There is something to be said about countering hostile propaganda against China. This is an actual problem that should not be disregarded. We've been discussing this on the Indian News thread in reference to the Ladakh issue. Here's a post of mine from last week which shows how Indian media has portrayed China before and after the Ladakh confrontation: Post 5369
They claim everything from China spreading Coronavirus as a bioweapon, to China 'losing' in Ladakh etc. This is the mainstream media in India. That anchor is the most popular news anchor in the country.
They claim everything from China spreading Coronavirus as a bioweapon, to China 'losing' in Ladakh etc. This is the mainstream media in India. That anchor is the most popular news anchor in the country.
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Ahh the good old Indian disinformation and lies.I remember they claimed that they shot down a Pakistani F-16 when they had no evidence whatsoever. But I'm sure it makes their gullible viewers feel warm and fuzzy inside. I know BJP followers are about as intelligent as Trump's cult, who mindlessly believe any conspiracy theory, dear leader wants them to believe.
I think the deterioration is relations was inevitable, and China has been preparing for this.
I would agree the deterioration has been faster and deeper than imagined , but you can't blame Xi JinPing for the election of Donald Trump and his administration, who relish a fight with China. Nor for the Huawei dispute or the Coronavirus.
And do you seriously think the USA will win a cold war against China?
A cold war will drain resources from both China and the USA.
But in 10-15 years, we can plausibly expect China to have an economy some 2x the size of the USA.
So who is more likely to win in a Sino-US cold war?
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