EDUCATION AS A SOFT POWER INSTRUMENT OF CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY

Abstract

Soft power tool is more and more often accepted by states – members of the global political process as the most important non-military tool for implementation of foreign policy’s tasks. Soft power is applied by a state via a wide range of instruments: communications (TV, radio, Internet), international economic programs, public diplomacy, scientific and educational exchange, large-scale cultural and sport events. In the contemporary research on the matters in connection with soft power, a great place is occupied by the analysis of educational component in soft power instruments which is explained, on one hand, by intrinsic acceleration of internationalization in higher education, and on the other hand – by focused state policy of world’s countries on increase of students exchange considered as own soft power tool. Today, the PRC is also actively realizing its ambitions in soft power buildup including by way of stimulation of student mobility in the country. Growing significance in the formulation of foreign political strategy is assigned to soft power and cultural diplomacy – an efficient instrument for establishment of attractive image of China and Chinese. Cultural diplomacy of the PRC is represented by two fields: cultural and, which is of great importance, educational exchanges. In China, there is a comprehensive program of state management of international educational processes – the crucial promotion channel of the country’s soft power.