Is China Redefining Its Attitude To Projecting Soft Power?
Martin McCauley writes: Some time ago hundreds of Chinese ambassadors, diplomats and other officials responsible for formulating foreign policy gathered in Beijing to debate the future of China on the wold stage. Given the global financial crisis, should the Middle Kingdom seize the opportunity to play a more active role on the world stage? Is the United States a declining power? China’s priority is its domestic development, but it is becoming clear that domestic and foreign policy are merging. Should China give greater emphasis to expanding its influence through ‘soft’ power? The conference was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Party Foreign Affairs Bureau. The main speaker was President Hu Jintao and other speakers included the Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. All nine members of the Standing Committee of the Party Politburo (the comrades who rule China) were present. Clearly this was not just an occasion to exchange ideas, it was a forum for framing foreign policy for t
