China's Ambition to Balance Power within the Framework of Soft and Normative Power Concepts

Abstract

There are various power-balancing strategies have been examined in the field of International Relations and Political Science scholarship. While Western powers generally tend to use hard power or hard balancing strategies, China distinguishes itself from them by often seeking power balancing through soft and normative power. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has pursued a peaceful policy in its international affairs. Although China has recently adopted a more proactive foreign policy in parallel with its increasing political and economic influence in global politics and its tense relations with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and neighbouring countries, it has not moved away from its traditional peaceful foreign policy. Accordingly, China has focused on goals such as maintaining its Non-interference policies, realizing the Chinese Dream through the BRI, and establishing Confucius Institutes to increase its normative and soft power influence in the international arena. This study aims to analyse China's power balancing strategies through soft and normative power strategies, in the context of China's current rising power position in the international arena.