India's edge over China:Soft Power

[mike05]

I can't say how much soft power India has on Asia as a whole but I am quite certain China soft & hard powers are much more dominant in South East Asia. It's quite obvious if you are travelling in the region.

 

[Avatar]

I can't say how much soft power India has on Asia as a whole but I am quite certain China soft & hard powers are much more dominant in South East Asia. It's quite obvious if you are travelling in the region.

This is not about SE. Asia or even Asia. This is about the world.

 

[mike05]

This is not about SE. Asia or even Asia. This is about the world.

The article was around asia which is why I mentioned SEA

 

[Dr sim]

The article was around asia which is why I mentioned SEA

You r quite right in saying that China's soft and hard power are more dominant as compared to those of India's in SEA but here we r talking about how whole of the world percieves ur rise as a country not just a particular region. and it seems like people are more comfortable with India's rise as compared to that of China's as is clear from the article.
Also here is something that u might find interesting regarding india's soft power.
"India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border!"
Hu Shih(former ambassador of China to USA)

 

[CardSharp]

I agree with Mike, China's soft power is noticeable whereas there is little to no evidence of India's soft-power. The author has gone on about how India's history, position and openness COULD facilitate its softpower but India's government has no planned strategy for boosts its softpower whereas it is a different story with China.

For example, the government is pumping massive amounts of funds into programs like the Confucius institute whereby schools anywhere in the world can request a free, fully paid chinese language teacher. Thousands of school have taken up this offer including those in the USA. In fact, Chinese has just passed german in american high-schools for study. It is even more popular here in Canada.

This is having a noticeable effect. In Indonesia, a mere 10 years ago any item with chinese characters or related to china would be seized at the airport. Today, there are store fronts in chinese, chinese language schools, and ethnic chinese there enjoy a marked increase in status.

 

[Dr sim]

I agree with Mike, China's soft power is noticeable whereas there is little to no evidence of India's soft-power. The author has gone on about how India's history, position and openness COULD facilitate its softpower but India's government has no planned strategy for boosts its softpower whereas it is a different story with China.

For example, the government is pumping massive amounts of funds into programs like the Confucius institute whereby schools anywhere in the world can request a free, fully paid chinese language teacher. Thousands of school have taken up this offer including those in the USA. In fact, Chinese has just passed german in american high-schools for study. It is even more popular here in Canada.

This is having a noticeable effect. In Indonesia, a mere 10 years ago any item with chinese characters or related to china would be seized at the airport. Today, there are store fronts in chinese, chinese language schools, and ethnic chinese there enjoy a marked increase in status.

Good to see that China is taking steps to promote their language but this video will help u understand that India does care to promote its culture as well

 

[Jade]

I can't say how much soft power India has on Asia as a whole but I am quite certain China soft & hard powers are much more dominant in South East Asia. It's quite obvious if you are travelling in the region.

Yes...India's soft power is more dominant in west. Be it culture, bollywood, or food, India is clearly far more visible in the western world than China is.

 

[Korean]

Jet Li Ashamed of China's Soft Power, Plans Taichi Program with Alibaba's Jack Ma - China Real Time Report - WSJ

Jet Li Ashamed of China’s Soft Power

Chinese leaders aren’t the only ones frustrated with the nation’s lack of “soft power” influence–Jet Li is, too, and he wants to do something about it.

The Chinese martial artist-turned-movie star is starting a taichi school with Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma, which he hopes will break stereotypes of taichi as an art practiced only by old people in parks. Mr. Li said he wants it to one day be as cool to practice taichi as it is watch American movies, watch Japanese animation or study South Korea’s taekwondo.

“China is an economic powerhouse,” Mr. Li said at Alibaba Group’s annual summit for small to medium-sized business owners in Hangzhou. But the world’s most populous country has little cultural influence compared to the U.S., South Korea and Japan, he said.

The actor’s new venture could indeed give a boost to China’s efforts to export its culture, which have involved investments in the billions of dollars but have been criticized as unimaginative. Among Beijing’s recent soft-power plays: an international network of state-sponsored language institutes, a 17-minute long promotional film panned by Chinese Internet users as blatantly propagandistic and a giant advertisement in Times Square showing photos of wealthy and successful Chinese people who most Americans don’t recognize.

Mr. Li, who has starred in major movies on both sides of the Pacific including the 2002 Zhang Yimou epic “Hero,” lamented that Hollywood and other cultural industries make up a significant portion of GDP in the U.S. but represent only a fraction of China’s economy. “Italian coffee is better than Starbucks,” but consumers around the world recognize Starbucks more than Italian coffee “because it’s a cultural experience,” he said.

He did not disclose financial details of his partnership with Mr. Ma, but said the company will be called Taichi Zen International Culture Company.

For China not to have a contribution to the rest of the world would be a “pity,” he said. “I feel shame before my ancestors,” he added, saying he wants kids to be proud of their “national culture.”

"the world’s most populous country has little cultural influence compared to the U.S., South Korea and Japan" - Jet Li

Yes, Bollywood is one of three major content producers of the world; Hollywood, Hallyuwood, and Bollywood.

 

[PakShah]

I'm surprised no one has caught the contradiction in the article yet.

It is comparing India to China, but only calls India a regional power. On the other hand China is a great power.
India is inferior to China.

The article is stupid.

As for the soft power, how can India have more soft power than China? China is a richer country, which can pay money to advertise Chinese landmarks like the Great Wall of China. China is also a much more stable country than India, while India is in a civil war.

India is fighting the Kashmiri Freedom Fighters, Naxalites, ULFA, Khalistani insurgents.

China does not have such problems.

 

[Jade]

I'm surprised no one has caught the contradiction in the article yet.

It is comparing India to China, but only calls India a regional power. On the other hand China is a great power.
India is inferior to China.

The article is stupid.

As for the soft power, how can India have more soft power than China? China is a richer country, which can pay money to advertise Chinese landmarks like the Great Wall of China. China is also a much more stable country than India, while India in a civil war.

India is fighting the Kashmiri Freedom Fighters, Naxalites, ULFA, Khalistani insurgents.

China does not have such problems.

It seems you no idea on soft power. Soft power is not about money and advertisements

 

[Korean]

As for the soft power, how can India have more soft power than China?

Non-Indians watch Indian movies and listen to Indian music outside of India.
Non-Chinese do not watch Chinese movies and listen to Chinese music outside of China.

China is a richer country, which can pay money to advertise Chinese landmarks like the Great Wall of China.

Yet the favorability of India is much higher than China to foreigners.

India is fighting the Kashmiri Freedom Fighters, Naxalites, ULFA, Khalistani insurgents.

China does not have such problems.

You must not have heard of Tibetan, Uyghur, and Chinese Muslim resistance.

 

[Dalai Lama]

The only Indian/Chinese soft power I've come across is Food. And that's because I love Food!

If you want to talk real soft power, look at Japan and the US.

 

[PakShah]

It seems you no idea on soft power. Soft power is not about money and advertisements

Money and advertisements are a part of soft power, but soft power is not limited to it only.

Seriously, get your facts right.

 

[Developereo]

India is definitely more adept at soft power projection than China.

Ethnic Indians are very active in western media and other high profile positions. The Chinese not so much.

The mass media is the key to controlling perceptions. Indians understand this full well. I am surprised the Chinese, so adept in other fields, have let the ball drop in the media field.

 

[rigam niga]

Non-Indians watch Indian movies and listen to Indian music outside of India.
Non-Chinese do not watch Chinese movies and listen to Chinese music outside of China.


Yet the favorability of India is much higher than China to foreigners.


You must have have heard of Tibetan, Uyghur, and Chinese Muslim resistance.

you missed anti-communist movement and anti-goverment protest(as a result many peolple in jail and GoC torturing them)