Confucius Institutes: China’s Cultural Soft Power Strategy

Abstract

The employment of culture and language as a Chinese foreign policy strategy combines the leadership’s ideas and the academic effort to communicate with the world. China’s approaches to disseminating cultural soft power are seen through overseas Confucius Institutes (CIs). The CIs have been recognized as a symbol for transmitting the Chinese language and cultural elements abroad. This research argues that CIs function as agents of Beijing by promoting language and culture, fostering global recognition of China as a civilized society and cultural power, and improving its cultural connections worldwide. However, CIs’ influence was limited because it is not an acceptable model for foreign government-funded organizations. China has faced constraints in translating its soft power into desired outcomes, especially in the United States (US) and European Union (EU).