On The Building Of China's Image As A "Responsible Great Power"

At the dawn of the new century, China, with its strong momentum of peaceful development, has won much praise and applause in the international community. However, this also brings China more suspicion and criticism from western countries, who always observe China through colored spectacles, as well as from its traditional partners that keep friendly relations with China. To some extent, these negative voices deteriorate China's image and prestige, whereas a nation's image, as a vital component of its soft power, enjoys an incomparable significance for national interest than ever before. While getting bonuses from world peace and economic development, China, taking the domestic and international circumstances into consideration, first proposed the strategic concept of "to be a responsible great power", which not only stipulates and delimits China's orientation of value in future foreign policies, but also brings new demands on its international strategies. The crises arising from issues of Sino-African relations deserve profound reflections by the parties concerned, and should make it urgent for China to take corresponding adjustive measures in its foreign strategies and image maintenance.In light of what we've mentioned above, this thesis begins with the origin of the theory of China's responsibility, then conducts a comprehensive analysis of the grand circumstances at home and abroad and makes a profound elaboration on the connotation of responsibility of great powers. Taking into account the past and present development of Sino-African relations, we refute some ridiculous arguments, and make several suggestions on how China could create an image of a responsible great power, which are expounded from such perspectives as the guideline and specific operation of foreign strategies, the improvement of hard power and the building of soft power, China's responses to international criticism and its following the trend of development, and the realization of the scientific development. Finally, we arrive at the conclusion that addressing series of regional and international issues in an appropriate manner is conductive for China to create the image of a responsible great power in the international community, hence providing China with a sound international environment for its peaceful development.