The WeChat social media platform from a foreign institution perspective: WeChat's role as a soft power tool

Abstract

WeChat is the major Chinese social media platform, with over a billion users worldwide. Using WeChat is essential for Chinese citizens' daily lives, and at the same time for foreign individuals, institutions, and companies entertaining rela-tionships with the People's Republic of China (PRC). In this paper, the authors an-alyse the role of the WeChat social media platform as a soft power tool. Through the case study of Politecnico di Torino as a foreign institution opening a WeChat Official Account, the authors explore the numerous purposes the platform offers and its impact on a foreign institution.