Abstract

China’s increasing strength in all aspects is vital to international relations, but more importantly to Asia-Pacific’s security architecture. It is critical for countries in the region, including ASEAN, to scrutinize China’s role and conduct regarding its domestic and foreign policies, which will affect ASEAN more than other regions in the world. Soft power policy has played an important role in China’s foreign affairs over the past two decades and has been watched by countries around the globe. It will be beneficial to learn China’s experiences of its conduct in this regard, as well as to understand the distinction between Western and Chinese concepts of soft power. Information from this study will improve understanding of China’s foreign policies, enable countries to be prepared in dealing with China, and be a lesson for nations to use in shaping their policies.