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China’s City Diplomacy Report 2019: An All-round, Multi-level and Wide-range New Pattern of City Diplomacy

Liu Bo & Yang Hongliu · 56 ·

With the continuous development of multi-polarization, economic globalization and social informatization in the world, the connotation and extension of national interests have been greatly expanded, and traditional diplomacy has undergone important transformations from content to forms. Among them, sub-national actors represented by local cities have unique advantages on diplomacy with flexibility, diversity and quiet but deep-going effect. Local cities now have stepped onto the diplomatic stage and are playing an increasingly important role. In May 2014, President Xi Jinping delivered an important address at the China International Friendship Cities Conference & the 60th Anniversary Commemoration of the Establishment of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, pointing out that we should “better promote people-to-people diplomacy, city diplomacy and public diplomacy, and make new and greater contributions to China’s non-governmental international friendship building.” In 2019, as a useful supplement to major nation diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, city diplomacy has become more varied in practice and more mature in experience, and has begun to develop from a flat level to a three-dimensional level.

Observations of China-Japan Cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative

Jiang Feng & Zhao Xinli · 64 ·

China and Japan are neighbors linked by the sea. Since China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Japan has undergone a shift from questioning and bearing vigilance to active participation. Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on eight different occasions to discuss the BRI, through which Japan’s understanding of the BRI and its participation level has demonstrated some changes. The BRI will affect China-Japan relations in a profound way and both countries should further promote their cooperation.

Japanese Mainstream Media’s Cognition and Attitude towards the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC

Liu Shuliang · 69 ·

The 70th National Day of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was a great event worthy of warm celebration by the people of all ethnic groups throughout China. Chinese government held various activities such as a meeting of celebration and a military parade. Japanese government, society and media all paid close attention to this important event, and Japanese five main national newspapers including the Asahi Shimbun released relevant editorials. Based on these editorials, this paper introduces and analyzes Japanese mainstream media’s perceptions and attitudes towards China’s National Day celebration activities on October 1st, 2019 and the great achievements that China has made in the 70 years since the founding of the PRC.

Epidemic Prevention and Control and Building a Global Community of Shared Future

Wang Danning · 75 ·

Under the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, the significance of a global community of shared future is self-evident. This paper elaborates on how China has consistently promoted the building of a global community of shared future in epidemic prevention and control, and how China has contributed to this cause with its own strength and wisdom, through going through President Xi Jinping’s addresses on building a global community of shared future. The strengths of China’s national governance system have been fully demonstrated in the prevention and control of the epidemic. Whether in terms of epidemic prevention measures such as city lockdown, massive checkups, or the accountability of government officials, China has enriched its story and demonstrated the image of China as a responsible major nation.

Seeking a Balance between “Fact Report” and “Value Judgement”— Analysis of News Reports on the COVID-19 Epidemic in Western Mainstream Newspapers and Periodicals

Zhang Danping · 80 ·

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, China as a entire country has made concerted efforts and created a fairly good situation through hard work, resulting in turning the epidemic prevention and control onto a positive trend. This has been fully confirmed by the international community and also aroused great attention of the international public opinion. The mainstream Western media has continued its leadership in this round of shaping the international public opinion, presenting a huge amount of facts about COVID-19 epidemic. Although these facts are conducive to fully displaying the image of China’s struggle with the epidemic, the value judgement of China’s political system is yet also mixed in the reports, with many negative elements in these reports. We need to stay vigilant on this issue.

Case Studies

Production of Public Opinion Worldwide and the Defects of Public Diplomacy of U.S. Think Tanks

Peng Weibu · 89 ·

Think tanks have developed in the U.S. with a long history and in large numbers, and they have made significant impacts on the political, economic, cultural and military aspects of the U.S. This paper analyzes the development of think tanks in the U.S. from the perspective of how think tanks’ development has been promoted by international political changes and how huge amount of capital has provided sufficient funds for think tanks in their operation. The paper also probes deeply into American think tanks’ production of public opinions around the world as well as the think tanks’ defects on both knowledge production tendency and professional ethical issues. Through the above research analysis, the paper aims to provide some reference for China’s think tanks in their academic research, ideological production, public diplomacy and influence enhancement.

OPEC’s Public Diplomacy under the Circumstance of Global Climate Governance

Zhang Lijun · 97 ·

OPEC, an energy organization formed by developing countries, aims to coordinate oil production policies, control international oil prices and the amount of production, and safeguard the oil sovereignty and economic interests of oil producing countries. After its establishment, to confront unceasingly various kinds of disputes and criticisms, OPEC launched its public diplomacy activities very early on. During the Cold War, OPEC improved its international situation and established its international status mainly through the “Third-Worldism” public diplomacy. After the end of the Cold War, climate issues became increasingly severe and global climate governance became key words among the international community. OPEC which mainly produces and sells traditional energy has met with numerous criticism and questioning. In order to win back support and recognition of the international community, OPEC’s public diplomacy has made obvious responses. However, it still faces a series of constraining factors.

COVID-19 Epidemic’s Impact on China-Samoa Relations and Post- Epidemic Reconstruction Path

Liang Guojie · 102 ·

The outbreak of COVID-19 in January 2020 has aroused great attention from both government and people of Samoa, who have just experienced severe measles epidemic with backward medical and health conditions. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the Samoa government has firmly supported China to sustain the bilateral friendship. However, since China-Samoa tourism exchanges, economic and trade cooperation and assistance projects will be negatively affected by the epidemic, Chinese government should keep on promoting bilateral cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the civil society should further strengthen bilateral people-to-people exchanges after the epidemic, so as to rebuild the friendly China-Samoe relations.

Book Review

Use of Music in China’s Public Diplomacy — Review of the Book “Gun” or “Rose” Music in Public Diplomacy

Xie Siyu · 106 ·

Music is an art of not only emotion, but also thoughts and ideas. Music bears the features of a country’s political system, values and culture in its own unique way, and plays an important role in enhancing a country’s political influence, shaping its image and safeguarding its interests. “Guns” or “Roses”: Music in Public Diplomacy (Zeng Linzhi, Shanghai People's Publishing House, August 2018) presents a “the oretical model of music diplomacy”. Taking music diplomacy interactions among the three major nations— China, the U.S. and Russia as an example, this paper analyzes the roles of“political vanguard”, “concept ambassador”, “identity mark” and “cultural bridge” that music plays in public diplomacy, which offers some enlightenment as to how to use music in China’s public diplomacy.

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