China Can’t Seem to Make Friends or Influence People

China has spent tens of billions of dollars to boost its global popularity over the past decade. It hasn’t worked. In soft power—the attractiveness of a country’s ideas, institutions and culture—the U.S. far outstrips China. That’s an opportunity for Washington.

Not long ago many scholars believed China’s economic progress would automatically translate into greater soft power, as it had for America, Japan and South Korea, among others. In these pages in 2005, Joseph Nye, the Harvard professor who coined the term “soft power,” quoted a 22-country BBC poll that found more people viewed China positively (nearly 50%) than the U.S. (38%). “China has always had an attractive traditional culture, but now it is entering the realm of global popular culture as well,” Mr. Nye wrote. He cited the Nobel literature laureate Gao Xingjian, Houston Rockets star Yao Ming and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” as examples of China’s growing appeal. The PR bonanza of the 2008 Beijing Olympics loomed.

Instead, global public opinion has soured on China, despite Xi Jinping’s doubling down on soft power. At a 2014 Communist Party meeting, Mr. Xi, who became president the year before, urged the party to “increase China’s soft power, give a good Chinese narrative, and better communicate China’s message to the world.”

Read the full article on The Wall Street Journal.