The Culture Of China's Soft Power Ascension Path Analysis

The concept of "soft power" has been arousing extensive attention in academic and political circles since being stated by Joseph Nye in the late1980s. More and more countries are pursuing this kind of invisible power to increase the chance of winning on the international stage. In the context of that our government has proposed "to strengthen China’s cultural soft power and the Chinese culture’s international influence", it is very necessary to discuss the resources of our country’s soft power and the approaches to achieve it. Not only should we dig the inherent resources of soft power, but also understand our capability and incapability in exerting soft power by observing the reaction of outside world.Confucius Institutes are regarded as a good example to explain China’s soft power. Confucius Institutes are developing rapidly in recent years, and have been a rising star of international language promotion agencies, attracting worldwide attention and discussion.This paper takes Confucius Institutes as an example to analyses China’s soft power. By analyzing approaches, contents and effects of Confucius Institutes’culture communication, it investigates the cultural approaches of enhancing China’s soft power.Firstly, this paper analyzes the connotation of soft power and its significance to modern international relations, probes its enlightenment to China’s peaceful development, and understands the resources and status quo of China’s cultural soft power.Secondly, it investigates the background of Confucius Institutes’ development, and sorts out the current state of Confucius Institutes by analyzing data and facts. Also, it analyzes Confucius Institutes’managing, teaching and locating systems, to find out many essential questions about them, like their nature, management structure, promoting ways and characteristics of regional distribution.Lastly, on the basis of comprehensive analysis of Confucius Institutes, this paper probes the role of Confucius Institutes in enhancing China’s soft power. To explain that language promotion is an important tool to enhance soft power by theoretically and experiential analyzing. To probe Confucius Institutes’ soft power connotation by analyzing the content they promote. And to investigate Confucius Institutes’ teaching effects and public opinions about them by cases study. From the three aspects of cultural awareness, value recognizing and the problem of politicization, to analyze Confucius Institutes soft power effects.In conclusion, Confucius Institutes have played positive role in advancing foreign people’s awareness of Chinese culture and values. Confucius Institutes do become effective approach to enhance China’s soft power. However, they are also facing some problems, for instance, inadequate supply of teaching resources, imbalance of regional distribution, low level of content and promoting pattern, the controversy of the political independence, etc. Recognizing and solving these problems is the key point for Confucius Institutes to play greater role.