Soft Power

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The global issue raised in the article by Repnikova (2022) is how governments use soft power to control for outcomes that are favorable to their intentions. The article shows that China and the US are two of the most powerful countries in the world and both are known to use soft power in order to strengthen their standing on the global stage. It defines soft power as a form of influence that seeks to win over other actors in the international system rather than compel them through hard, coercive tactics. It notes that soft power, a term coined by political scientist Joseph Nye, is not merely complementary to hard power but indispensable to itand the reference is made to the disastrous US war in Iraq to show why hard power is not enough for stable foreign policy on its own. The overall aim of the article, however, is to show that all countries use soft power, and that America and China are engaged in a soft power contest to win hearts and mindsi.e., to get the citizens of their respective friendly-foes to see things their way. This is evident in the fact that the US tries to spread pro-Western influence through media and films in China, and in the fact that China bans some films that carry themes the Chinese government sees as detrimental to its own aims. Or it can be seen in the way China attempts to exert influence on US sports leagues like the NBA by snuffing out political commentary from owners and players that might reflect negatively on Chinas internal affairs.

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The main argument made by the author of the article is that both the US and China struggle to understand in a consistent manner what soft power actually means and how it should be implemented. Repnikova takes into account global trends and strategies employed by both countries regarding their uses of public diplomacy, information dissemination, international media engagement, culture exchanges and more. Ultimately, what emerges from Repnikova's research is that although both America and China are attempting to engage in a rivalry for soft power supremacy on a global scale, neither have fully grasped this concept yet.

Repnikova uses a realist theoretical perspective in her article, and she effectively uses empirical evidence from the international geopolitical arena to substantiate her claims. To...…It is clear that concerted efforts are needed now more than ever in order to ensure that future generations benefit from increased cooperation between both nations.

The current shift in the power dynamics between the United States and China is one of the defining features of 21st century geopolitics. With this paradigm shift, both countries have put greater emphasis on exercising their respective soft powers in order to meet political objectives and increase their global influence. Going forward, there needs to be a concerted effort from individuals, states and international institutions, such as intergovernmental organisations or NGOs, to constructively address this issue. On an individual level, citizens have a responsibility to research and educate themselves on the ramifications of each country's foreign policy initiatives and ensure that biased narratives are challenged. Additionally, states also need to look for ways to cooperate instead of engaging in retaliatory actions which could potentially spiral into further tension. Finally, transnational actors should take proper steps to create frameworks which recognise the importance of cultural exchange amid diplomatic uncertainty along with ensuring that the rights of various communities are respected at all times when civil liberties might be threatened by existing…