# soft power
Latest news and articles about soft power
Total: 19 articles found
Overseas on Lunar New Year: China’s Builders Keep Belt-and-Road Projects Running — and Winning Hearts
Chinese construction crews maintained major Belt-and-Road projects through the Lunar New Year, combining round‑the‑clock work with cultural outreach to local partners. The narrative underscores both immediate economic gains from new roads, railways and power grids and Beijing’s broader strategy to cement influence through visible, people‑centred infrastructure delivery.
Robots Steal the Show at China’s New Year Gala — and Send Consumer Orders Soaring
Robotic performances at China’s Spring Festival Gala triggered a surge in consumer demand — orders jumped about 150% and several models sold out within minutes. The televised showcase amplified commercial interest in domestic robotics while prompting debate over reliability, safety and the broader geopolitical signal of China’s tech ambitions.
PLA's New‑Year Video Seeks to Humanize Hong Kong Garrison and Normalize Presence
The PLA garrison in Hong Kong released a Lunar New Year video that frames soldiers' holiday duty as an act of companionship and civic service. The clip is a targeted soft‑power effort to humanize the military presence in the city and to normalize its role amid ongoing political sensitivities.
When the Prelude Plays: China’s 2026 Military Spring Gala Reaffirms the PLA’s Cultural ‘DNA’
China’s 2026 military Spring Festival Gala used music and spectacle to promote the idea of an enduring "military soul," reinforcing political loyalty and morale inside the PLA while projecting unity to the wider public. The event illustrates how cultural programming has become an instrument of military modernization and domestic signaling.
China’s Fujian Carrier Delivers “80,000 Tons” of Good Fortune in Spring Festival PR Push
Sailors aboard China’s Fujian aircraft carrier published festive New Year greetings, joking that “80,000 tonnes of good fortune” have arrived—a symbolic use of the ship’s displacement to project national pride. The episode is a domestic PR effort to humanize the navy and normalize China’s expanding carrier force, with signal value for regional observers.
Lunar‑New Year 'Lucky Bags': China’s Foreign Ministry Courts Foreign Press with a Gesture of Warmth
China’s foreign ministry presented Lunar‑New Year “lucky bags” to foreign journalists at a Beijing press briefing, a small act praised as warm by those present. The gesture illustrates how cultural rituals serve as low‑cost public diplomacy aimed at softening interactions with the foreign press amid broader diplomatic tensions.
Gansu Troupe Brings Lunar New Year Pageant to Nairobi, a Quiet Moment of Sino‑African Cultural Diplomacy
A cultural troupe from China’s Gansu province performed a Lunar New Year show at Nairobi’s national theatre on February 9, part of a broader Chinese festival tour in Africa. The visit illustrates how provincial cultural missions are being used as a low‑cost tool of soft power to support broader Sino‑African ties and public diplomacy.
China’s Bayi Aerobatic Team Closes Singapore Airshow with a High‑Precision Display of Soft Power
China’s PLAAF Bayi aerobatic team completed five performances at the 10th Singapore Airshow, showcasing J-10 formations and engaging spectators with cultural outreach timed to the lunar new year. The appearances combined precision flying with public diplomacy, reinforcing Beijing’s effort to project a professional, friendly military image abroad.
China’s Army Asks Public to Name Three New ‘Spring Festival’ Horses — A Small PR Moment with Bigger Symbolic Reach
The Chinese military has launched an online naming contest for three newly arrived horses ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, presenting detailed, personable profiles to solicit public submissions and votes. The campaign combines ceremonial tradition with digital outreach, humanizing the armed forces and using a lighthearted vehicle to advance institutional messaging during a politically resonant holiday.
Beijing Says Taiwan Veterans Don’t Qualify for PLA Perks, Points to Tourist Incentives for First-Time Visitors
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office clarified that Taiwanese retired military personnel do not qualify for the same veterans’ concessions granted to PLA veterans, after a social-media incident at a mainland scenic spot. Beijing pointed to targeted tourism incentives for first-time visitors from Taiwan instead, a policy designed to encourage visits without altering institutional distinctions between the two sides’ armed forces.
India Debuts 'Animal Platoon' in Republic Day Parade, Blending Tradition with Tactical Utility
India introduced an "animal platoon"—including camels, horses, birds of prey and military dogs—at its Republic Day parade, combining ceremonial tradition with practical security roles. The display serves both domestic nation-building and soft-power signalling, while raising questions about animal welfare and the place of non-mechanised assets in a modernising military.
India’s Republic Day Introduces an 'Animal Platoon' — Pageantry That Marries Tradition with Security Roles
India’s Republic Day parade introduced an official “animal platoon” featuring camels, horses, birds of prey and military dogs. The contingent blends ceremonial heritage with nods to practical frontier and security roles, while also raising questions about symbolism, resource allocation and animal welfare.