Soft power is commonly presented as an alternative or a complement to harder forms of power, such as military and economic might. However, while it is safer to say that soft power does not depend on military capabilities, it is not as straightforward to separate soft power from its economic counterpart. Juxtaposing various soft power rankings with a country's economic assets may reveal how the former relies on the latter. Moreover, when closely scrutinised, it is possible to appreciate how dynamics of attraction are also closely intertwined with economic gains. In an increasingly connected world, soft power could prove to be instrumental in achieving economic success. Economic effects are expected to be more consistent, observable, and attainable when compared to political ones, such as spreading democracy. Far from arguing that soft power is unable to assist in achieving political goals in the long term, this paper aims instead to highlight how a narrow culture-centred analysis of soft power greatly limits the understanding of this power in the real world, and results in the underestimation of its value and impact. China's quest to connect the world through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a topical case through which to further explore the soft-economic power nexus.

This paper aims to highlight the increasing value of Joseph Nye's concept of soft power in East Asia by observing the actions of China and Japan in Thailand. The two major powers are trying to gather sociocultural and political resources towards improved economic relations and collaborations, while mostly detaching from ideological promotion. This article gathers opinions from "intellectual elites" to assess how the two countries understand soft power in action while outlining their main objectives, strategies, and impact. Although China's reputation is gradually improving, the country seems to be playing a risky game where admiration for its economic prowess and skepticism towards its opaque methods are equally present, resulting in a precarious position. Japan's image is still positive and stable, but its safe-playing stance seems to reflect the geopolitical status-quo and could be a missed opportunity to emerge as the third option beyond China and the United States.