National Image Of Big Countries In Post-Cold War Southeast Asia

With national image as research subject,this paper makes a comparative study of the national image of four major powers in Southeast Asia,these include China,the United States,Japan and India that have most influence in the region.The aim is to get a comprehensive understanding of status quo of the soft power construction of major powers in Southeast Asia.It is observed that countries with the strongest soft power also have the best national image,but there are differences in specific manifestation.The national image strategy implemented by big powers in Southeast Asia is first reviewed.While China attaches greater importance to the national image in the region,it has positioned itself as a responsible regional power;the United States' integration of ideology into daily life through education,culture,media and so on has long been able to help promoting its national image;Japan with its unique legacy in the region during WWII has made every effort to shape the image of a peaceful country in Southeast Asia.As for India,it has been actively exploring ways to expand its influence to Southeast Asia soon after the end of Cold War,as it hopes to strengthen both its economic power as well as its image as a regional power through stronger trade ties with Southeast Asian countries.By applying the Asian Barometer Survey(ABS)data,a descriptive analysis of the influence of major powers in Southeast Asia are made based on the perceptions of Southeast Asian people from two perspectives:the perception of Southeast Asian people towards the influence of the major powers in Asia and in their own countries respectively.The analysis shows that China and the United States are perceived to be the two most influential countries in Asia,while the United states' national image in Asia,including Southeast Asian countries,is more positive than that of China's;Japan's influence in Asia is far less than that of China and the United States,and it is hard for Japan to catch up on that in the short term;India as well seem to have a long way to go in building a stronger presence in Asia.The evolution of the national image of major powers in Southeast Asia is then analyzed,and it is concluded that while China's image in Southeast Asia has made considerable progress since the end of the Cold War,there are still negative voices;the national image of the United States in the region experience some decline,but strategies adopted in the latter period has made positive contribution;Japan has expanded its ties with Southeast Asian countries from economic assistance to other areas including political,economic and security fields,thus shifting its national image from the defeated country to a country with economic,political and cultural power;India also gained certain recognition in Southeast Asia by adjusting its relations with Southeast Asian countries.Lastly,this paper puts forward some suggestions on enhancing China's image in Southeast Asian countries.It is proposed that we start from the construction of soft power to enhance the quality of China's influence in Southeast Asian countries.