Introduction of the professor

Shen Dingliis Professor of International Relations at Fudan University’s Institute ofInternational Studies / Center for American Studies. He co-founded and directsChina’s first non-government based program on Arms Control and Regional Studiesat Fudan. Shen has taught International Security, China-US relations, andChina’s Foreign Policy in China, in the U.S., and at the Semester at SeaProgram. His research and publications include China-U.S. Security Relations,Regional Security and International Strategy, Arms Control andNon-proliferation, and the Foreign and Defense Policy of China and the U.S. Heis Vice President of Chinese Association of South Asian Studies, Vice Presidentof Shanghai Association of International Studies, and Vice President ofShanghai Association of American Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics fromFudan University in 1989 and did his post-doctoral fellowship in Arms Controlat Princeton University from 1989-1991. Professor Shen was an Eisenhower Fellowin 1996, and in 2002 advised U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on strategicplanning for his second term. He is on the Global Council of Asia Society, andwas appointed by Shanghai Municipality as Shanghai’s Conference Ambassador.

China’s“soft power” abroad will be of crucial importance as China continues todisplace the United States in global influence. Professor Shen discussedthe components of China’s soft power from the founding of the PRC untiltoday with special attention to its recent efforts and its future prospects.Among his topics includesChina’s diplomatic roles in theKorean Peninsula, the Gulf of Aden, and Africa, as well as the link withChina’s economic influence, including its support of global financialinstitutions and assistance to developing countries. According to ProfessorShen, behind China’s soft power should be China’s traditional culture andphilosophy, yet China still has a way to go before it has the robust domesticinstitutions to more fully contribute to international public goods and trulyestablish its global soft power.

China isnotimpeccable,however. China is multifaceted. There are both positive and negative characteristicsthat can be attributed to China. Unfortunately, The negative ones undercut thesoft power.

We madeconcessions to them so they could make concessions to us. It’s better to negotiateand make consultations in order to meet an agreeable political settlement. It’snot right to offend their liberty or sovereignty.

The USA nowaccepts this. They violated international norms, but at least their motives fordoing so were respectable. The Korea situation was a bit different. TheAmericans flew over the Yalu River and bombed Manchuria. But why did Americaseek to replace France. No foreign entity should dictate other countriesinternal domestic affairs. In my humble view, China did this slightly byhelping the Vietcong. Violating international law is also soft power. Chinabecame isolated, by Vietnam and other. However, we represented equality as aresult. We still maintain many elements of the 5 principles of peacefulcoexistence. It’s not good when the majority suppresses the minority nor is itwhen the minority suppresses the majority. In America, the African Americanswere the minority and were suppressed by the Caucasian majority. In SouthAfrica it was the Caucasian minority suppressing the black majority. It doesn'tmatter what racial colour someone is.“Chinese are born and treatedequally. We need to be humble in order to improve. Since opening, we haveleaked dark sides. Other people may softly point out our weaknesses. We willlose face, but thanks to these criticisms, we will improve. We need to devotionand time to improve. When the USA wants to lend support China won't block them.” Prof. Shen said.

What are the obstacles for improving China'ssoft power?

This isimportant and substantive. The United States, for instance, its soft power is not declining.

Its fourmajor strong points are:

• Itsgovernment of political checks and balances. The three branches need tocoordinate

and worktogether to increase confidence.

• Its educationsystem. The US and China both have around 3000 universities, but China

has 5x morepeople than the US does.

•Innovation. The Americans are well trained and have lots of expertise. Theyhave the

ability tobe creative.

• Military.The US military is formidable. It spends 5 or 6 times as much as China does on

its defencebudget. It also has 11 operational aircraft carriers whereas China's are more

likesitting ducks.

• Americacan print its own currency and use it worldwide. China can only use its currencyon Chinese soil.

Lastly, thepeople trust their own system with almost a religious fervour.

40 yearsago things couldn't be like this. China today is different than before. Chinanow is much more powerful.It has4 aircraft carriersandcan hittheirown weather satellites.But can China has soft power?

“Wecan make an effort,” Prof. Shen said.“Think back to the Confucius and howit has similarities with the Golden Rule. The USA's attitude is that Americansdon't need to improve to be perfect, because they can never be perfect, butthey can't allow the evil to spread. America needs to stand up, like it did inKosovo, which was a disaster, and Iraq. The rest of the world can sit back andcriticize the Americans all they want, but they are benefiting from its actionsunknowingly and with no sense of appreciation. We owe Americans.” “We (China) lack this kind of vision. As a rising power, China has a lotto reflect. As a developing power, too. The USA also has a lot to reflect. Theyneed change and bring soft power back to America. China can learn from this bynot doing things in an unauthorized and hastily manner, but instead wait and bepatient enough to find some common ground.”

Aboutthe Author:

LaurentDispagne, comingfrom France and majors in International Trade, at the ESCI (Higher School ofInternational Business), in Paris. He attends the Contemporary ChinaStudies Programme at Fudan University and works for the Fudan DevelopmentInstitute and Shanghai Forum 2013 for his internship, as an economicjournalist.

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