A Comprehensive Evaluation of Urban Cultural Soft Power for the Silk Road Economic Belt

Abstract

ABSTRACT The construction of urban cultural soft power is an important manifestation of a country's comprehensive strength and an endogenous driving force to achieve sustainable development goals. This article focuses on the 12 node cities in the Silk Road Economic Belt, and uses factor analysis to construct the target city's cultural soft power evaluation index system. This evaluation system includes four indicators based on cultural foundation, cultural image, cultural attraction and cultural creativity. The authors conducted a comparative analysis of the sample cities’ cultural soft power scores from 2014 to 2016. The results show that: (1) The cultural soft powers of Xi'an and Lanzhou, the provincial capitals on the Silk Road Economic Belt, are more predominant than other cities. (2) Although Yinchuan, Xining, and Urumqi are also provincial capitals, the lack of a cultural foundation results in a limitation of their ability to expand their cultural soft power. (3) Baoji and Tianshui have focused on economic development; yet, their industrial structure seriously tilts the cultural balance, which shifts away from cultural soft power construction. (4) Under the influence of external factors such as the economy and environment, the development of cultural soft power lags seriously.