To conclude, this thesis intends to contribute to both the literature and discussion on soft power and it will also compare and contrast the soft power resources to the actions taken and thereby formulate possible policy recommendations. Theoretical Background The purpose of the following section is to illustrate and discuss the theoretical background necessary for conducting a profound case First of all, the theory of complex interdependence will be depicted, followed by a description of soft power and its resources. Afterward, the section will be continued with a portrayal on the evolution of the theory regarding China´s peaceful development. At the end, Harold Lasswell´s communication theory (1948) will be introduced. Complex Interdependence When examining China´s negative image in Germany, it is evident to start with an introduction to the bilateral relations and strategic partnership between the two countries. The reasons behind the choice of this theory are twofold: firstly, it implies that the relations can be analyzed from both horizontal and vertical axes; and secondly, it clearly illustrates the changing notion of international relations in today´s globalized world, which is characterized by increased interconnectedness and collaboration. First Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye coined the term of complex interdependence, when they published their book called Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition in 1977. Complex interdependence can be defined as “a world in which security and force matter less and countries are connected by multiple social and political relationships” . Discussion on the concept of mutual dependence or interdependence can first be found among the works of Rousseau and Montesquieu . As Baldwin (1980) further argues, the modern study of
The following analysis will not take into account the Chinese perception on soft power, since the universally accepted definition is coined by Nye (2004). Furthermore, it has to be acknowledged that the Chinese communication of its own soft power resources has a rather top-down approach, therefore, the analysis will examine this matter; and later on in the Discussion section is will be debated on how to make the strategy more suitable for the German audiences and thereby transforming it to a more professional and successful level. In the words of Edney (2012), the general aim of Chinese soft power is to explain China to the world via focusing the narrative on China´s policies, culture, history and social development. CPC´s foreign propaganda is overseen by the Foreign Propaganda Leading Small Group, which operates under the CPC´s Central Propaganda Department, whereas the public face of these institutions is the State Council Information Office (SCIO). The SCIO has nine offices and is responsible for issuing official press releases and white papers, developing foreign relations and researching on China´s soft power and perceptions around the world . According to Jiechi (2007), China´s overall foreign policy goals when dealing with the European Union countries are improving China´s image and strengthening the relations with ´the great powers´. Furthermore, Sino-German relations are dominated by economic matters, whereas the common security cooperation remains rather limited. China started to enhance its soft power capabilities and projections in order to address incidents and negative news. These new strategies aim to achieve the following four purposes. First of all, China wants to communicate its harmonious society including recognition and basic understanding of China´s political system and values. In other words, Zemin (1999) stated that “it is absolutely necessary to know the basic Chinese values in order to have a good understanding of what has happened and what will happen in China”. Secondly, China also wants to communicate its peaceful development in order to project an image of a responsible partner who is not to be feared. Thirdly, it aims to be seen as a trustworthy member of the international community striving for world peace. Fourthly, its culture should not only be regarded as an ancient one, but also as lively and exciting .
To sum up, the main goals behind China´s current soft power strategy are to make the European leaders understand that the Chinese model is not superior to other models, but it fits the best to the Chinese circumstances . The application of Li & Worm´s (2010) integrative model of soft power implies the investigation of the Sino-German bilateral relations from high, middle and low levels of communication. With regard to addressing the political elites, - as already discussed under the bilateral relations – there are currently more than 60 bilateral mechanisms, many of them between line ministers, state secretaries and heads of government authorities . The agenda for intergovernmental consultations includes environmental and economic issues, social development, education, science, research and civil society exchange. Consequently, the soft power within formal diplomacy relies on the capacities of economic temptation, culture, political values and with China´s growing international presence, the bilateral relations are also increasingly shaped by China´s international image. The second level of soft power reaches the interest groups. Interest groups can be defined as a non-profit and frequently voluntary whose members are working for a common cause by influencing public policy . As shown on the Figure below, over the past 25 year the number of registered NGOs in China reached over 500000 . Figure 5 – Number of registered NGOs in China. Source: In order to foster and manage the cooperation between these NGOs, the China Association for NGO Cooperation (CANGO) was created in 1992. The mission of the non-profit organization is to promote China´s civil society development and to provide a platform for information sharing. In order to perform these tasks, CANGO maintains relations with more than 170 foreign NGOs, among which 4 are Germans: EED, Federal Ministry for Economic and Cooperation and Development, Heinrich Boell Foundation and Misereor. These relations are centered on environmental protection, social, economic and political development . Furthermore, there are a number of other Sino-German NGOs working together especially on environmental protection and human rights issues, however, currently, there are no official statistics on this matter, therefore their reach and importance cannot be examined .