ABSTRACTS
Viewpoints
Promoting People-to-People Exchanges and Mutual Learning to Serve China's Major-country Diplomacy China Public Diplomacy Association •1•
Founded in March 2013, the China Public Diplomacy Association is a national non-profit organization with voluntary participation by Chinese experts and scholars in the field of public diplomacy, prominent citizens, relevant institutions and enterprises. The leadership of the association is all composed of senior diplomats. In recent years, the association has earnestly studied and implemented Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, especially his thought on foreign relations. In a pioneering and innovative spirit, it has extensively mobilized, coordinated and organized societal resources and nongovernmental forces, and carried out a series of unique and effective public diplomacy activities to enhance mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the Chinese people and peoples around the world in an effort to play a positive role in creating a good public opinion environment and public opinion foundation for China’s development and diplomatic endeavors.
Exclusire Interriew
A New Thinking on How the China-ASEAN Expo Can Better Serve China's Diplomacy Towards Neighboring Countries in the New Era Wei Zhaohui & Pan Qiang •8•
On August 5, 2023, this journal conducted an exclusive interview with Ms. Wei Zhaohui, member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Secretary-General of the China-ASEAN Expo and Director of the Guangxi International Expo Bureau. Wei has been engaged in foreign affairs for a long time, not only having rich experience in public diplomacy, but also making remarkable achievements in this field. During the interview, she elaborated on the China-ASEAN Expo in serving cooperation between the two sides, introduced the practice and experience of the China- ASEAN Expo in conducting public diplomacy towards ASEAN through people-topeople exchanges, external publicity and other services. She also shared her opinion on the future development of the China-ASEAN Expo.
Special Topic: Public Diplomacy Capability
A Framework for Analyzing Organizational Public Diplomacy Capability Ke Yinbin & Wang Yuwei •17•
Aiming at research in organizational public diplomacy capability, this paper organizational capability and behavioral capability, and applicable to any individual and all types of organizations; organizational characteristic analysis, focusing on the public diplomacy capability of organizations with different characteristics ( full actor, quasi-actor and dual actor ) according to the relationship between organizational goals and missions and public diplomacy; and organizational type analysis, looking into their public diplomacy capabilities according to the different types of organizations (cities, companies, think tanks, media, etc. )
Reflecting Public Diplomacy Capability in the Context of Cognitive Conflict Zhou Qingan•26•
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the conflicts are seen as omnidirectional and comprehensive in the fields of culture, interests and ideas. At the same time, with the rapid development of social media, its application in international communication and public diplomacy is becoming more and more extensive, and the features, algorithm characteristics and data driving force of social media also provide new means for international communication and public diplomacy. Therefore, today’s public diplomacy faces a brand new political and technical environment. Public perception has become more directly a measure of variables, and even an important factor for success or failure. The shaping and contention in the realm of cognition have become important battlefields of public opinion and political struggle, which puts forward a new topic of study of public diplomacy of various countries in the third decade of the 21st century.
The Ability to Effectively Tell the Story of “Win-Win Cooperation” Chen Xuefei •34• To communicate with others about one’s own country is an important part of public diplomacy, and all countries are committed to effectively telling their own stories. Traditional public diplomacy emphasizes who tells the story, how to tell it in a language that foreigners understand, and through what channels. The development of “new public diplomacy” in recent years is driving the shift from telling “my” stories to telling “our” stories, that is to effectively tell the stories about “win-win cooperation”, which puts higher demand on the ability to organize materials for one’s stories. This paper makes an in-depth analysis of new public diplomacy from the paradigm shift of communication and cooperation, and how to best tell the story of cooperation.
“ Track II Diplomacy ”, Think Tank Network and Public Diplomacy Guo Yanjun •42•
With the rapid development of public diplomacy, think tanks have become one of the public diplomacy players, demonstrating an important and unique role. In particular, think tank network, as a networking form of think tanks, can better expand the audience and influence in the fields of dialogue and exchange, guiding public opinion and carrying out people-to-people exchanges in the process of conducting public diplomacy. This paper takes the practice of the “think tank network for Asian regional cooperation” in its participation in “track II diplomacy” as an example to analyze the ways and features of think tank network in public diplomacy, and puts forward some preliminary thoughts on further strengthening the capacity building of think tank networks and promoting the development of public diplomacy.
Comments
The essence and countermeasures of the international antipropaganda activities of Japan’s nuclear sewage discharge into the sea Liu Liu •50•
In order to achieve the goal of “ national normalization,” Japan attaches importance to promoting the effective implementation of its domestic and foreign policies through enhanced international communication activities. In March 11 2011, the earthquake in Japan triggered a massive tsunami, and a large amount of radioactive material leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In 2021, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company decided to discharge the nuclear sewage generated by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. At 12 o’clock on August 24, 2023, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear Power Plant in Japan officially started the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea. In order to seek international support for Japan’s decision, the Japanese launched a series of targeted anti-propaganda activities from the strategic objectives, implementation subjects, layout operations. By revealing the essence of Japan’s anti-propaganda activities, it will help us to see more clearly
The discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima into the sea concerns the health of the people of all countries, the global Marine environment and the international public interests. We should maintain public pressure on Japan, call on Japan to face up to the concerns of the international community, earnestly fulfill its obligations under international law, and eliminate the opportunity for Japan to confuse public opinion by using international anti-propaganda activities.
Will the Strategic Coming Together between India-US Lead to a Military Alliance? Long Xingchun •58•
In recent years, coming together strategically between India and the United States has become increasingly obvious. India’s response to the US wooing has changed from being apathetic to positive, and the series of military cooperation agreements between the two sides have pushed the US-India relationship to the level of NATO allies; US-India joint military exercises have been institutionalized; the two sides have formulated a roadmap of cooperation of the military industry; and Modi’s visit to the United States in 2023 has further reinforced US-India technological and military cooperation. Counterbalancing China is the common interest and main motivation of India-US strategic coming together, but there are many constraints and structural obstacles, such as the US limited economic assistance to India and its ignorance of India’s strategic concerns. At the same time, India pursues the principle of “strategic autonomy”, does not fully trust the US, and does not want to be tied too tightly to the US. Also its concern about
relations and cooperation with Russia, and fears of entering a full-scale confrontation with China are all constraints for India to form a military alliance with the United States in the near future. PhD Forum
US Science and Technology Public Diplomacy Strategy and Its Implications for China Yao Xiaolin •69•
The world today is facing profound changes unseen in a century. International competition is unprecedentedly fierce, and science and technology are an important part to determine a country’s comprehensive strength. In order to consolidate its hegemony in science and technology, the United States actively carries out science and technology diplomacy so as to gain advantages in the competition among major powers. In the current period of friction between China and the United States and rapid deterioration of their bilateral relations, studying the characteristics of how the United States conducts public diplomacy in the field of science and technology in order to consolidate its hegemony is of great strategic significance for China to optimize its approaches and methods of science and technology diplomacy, accelerate the construction of an innovative country, and even promote the building of a global community of shared future. In response to the US science and technology public diplomacy strategy, it is suggested that China accelerate the formulation of its science and technology public diplomacy strategy, establish and strengthen the science and technology advisory network of foreign affairs departments, and join the existing global government science advisory network.
Case Studies
The Role and Limitations of the Committee of 100 in Chinese Diaspora Public Diplomacy in the United States—From the Perspective of Constructivist Identity Wan Xiaohong & Huang Weifan •78•
The Committee of 100 is a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, whose main overseas Chinese public diplomacy activities include giving public speeches, issuing white papers and career initiatives, and holding annual meetings and fireside talks. In public diplomacy of overseas Chinese affairs, the Committee of 100 plays a role in building common knowledge between China and the United States, reducing the inherent prejudice against China in the mainstream society of the United States, and promoting the development of China- US relations. However, from the perspective of constructivist identity, the Committee of 100 also has a dual dilemma of internal and external identity construction, which restricts it from playing a greater role in the public diplomacy of overseas Chinese affairs. ** The Dissemination and Influence of New China Theme Films in Postwar Japan—Based on Observation of Screening Activities of the Japanese Academy of Mao Zedong Thought** Zhuge Weidong •88•
The dissemination of new China theme films in postwar Japan has undergone a process from the spontaneous organization of non-governmental screening to the commercial public screening. The new China theme films play a direct role in forming a new image of China among the Japanese people as well as promoting and deepening mutual understanding and communication between the two countries. Documentaries with their strong nature of recording events, focusing on truth and objectivity, are one of the film types that the audience reacts strongly to. The study of the dissemination path and influence of new China theme films in postwar Japan is conducive to deepening the understanding of the theory and practice of public diplomacy.
Perceptions of the Competition between China and the US in Southeast Asia Guo Xiaoyu •97• The competition between China and the United States is a main theme in the world today. For Southeast Asian countries, the competition between China and the US remains an important topic concerning regional security and development. Since 2019, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore has published the annual Southeast Asia Situation Report, which surveys respondents from the 10 ASEAN countries about their views on key issues affecting regional security and development, such as China-US competition. Based on the analysis and collation of the Southeast Asia Situation Report from 2019 to 2023, this paper presents the Southeast Asian public perception of China and the US and of the competition between the great powers, in a hope to provide reference for China to build a more positive national image under the background of great power competition.
Book Review
The Key to Global Public Engagement—A Review of Public Diplomacy: Foundations for Global Engagement in the Digital Age •105•
The book Public Diplomacy: Foundations for Global Engagement in the Digital Age was authored by Nicholas J. Cull, professor at the Center for Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School of Journalism and Communication of the University of Southern California, a pioneer scholar and representative in the field of public diplomacy, and a historian who studies the role of public communication in foreign policy. Cull details five essential elements of public diplomacy in this book—listening, advocacy, cultural diplomacy, exchange diplomacy, and international broadcasting—and expands on two main elements emerging in the new type of public diplomacy: country branding and partnership. He applies historical analysis throughout his book and draws on familiar examples of public diplomacy, such as the United Kingdom’s use of a comprehensive strategy to drag the United States into World War II, the cultural struggle between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and the UK’s squeezing of information space to draw public attention to climate change in the early 21st century. In the book, he discusses the impact of social media, aiming to reveal the true potential and limitations of emerging platforms and technologies through the entire evolution of the field of public diplomacy.
Readers' Response
Xu Yicong's Response to President Han Fangming's Article “China's Public Diplomacy under New Circumstances Calls for Action-Oriented Think Tanks” •113•
Mr. Xu Yicong was the former Director-General of the Latin American Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Ambassador to Ecuador, Cuba and Argentina. As a senior diplomat with many years of overseas experience, he has profound understanding and unique insights in carrying out public diplomacy. After reading the article “ China’s Public Diplomacy under New Circumstances Calls for Action-Oriented Think Tanks” by President Han Fangming of the Charhar Institute in the Summer issue of this magazine, 2023, he was very much touched and put forward suggestions to introduce the activities of Chinese embassy in Panama in this regard, which is worth recommending.