Sharp Power is a concept proposed by International Forum for Democratic Studies in. It refers to ... more Sharp Power is a concept proposed by International Forum for Democratic Studies in. It refers to a regime s ability to influence perceptions of audiences in a target country in order to change their minds and behavior, undermine the political system and thus shape favorable consensus, by manipulative use of information. Sharp power is conceived to expose influence-expansion behavior from authoritarian states, such as China. Taking China as a typical sample, this article explores features of sharp power according to its definition, and then specifies China s behaviors under the context of sharp power. The article finds that the concept of sharp power has its fatal deficiencies in four aspects: () its unclear boundary with soft power and hard power; () its unnecessity due to overlap characteristics with the existing concept of smart power ; () its ideology-led essence disguised in academic terminology; and () its ineffective countermeasure to deal with the real threat. The article also provides two alternative approaches to explain the so-called sharp power of China: () strategic narratives, and () norm diffusion. The former suggests that China s influence-expansion behaviors are the state s projection of strategic narratives to gain international supports; while the latter suggests that China is spreading its norms which rooted in its traditional culture to shape a China-led new world order as a rising normative power. Therefore, China s sharp power is, essentially, the unsuccessful strategic narratives and norm diffusions which are unacceptable by Western audiences or even unconvincing in its domestic contexts. As a rising great power, China is not only challenging current world order with its fast-growing economic strength, widespread overseas investment, burgeoning military force, and progressing technology, but is also ardently expanding its foreign influence in international arena, which
Sharp Power is a concept proposed by International Forum for Democratic Studies in. It refers to ... more Sharp Power is a concept proposed by International Forum for Democratic Studies in. It refers to a regime s ability to influence perceptions of audiences in a target country in order to change their minds and behavior, undermine the political system and thus shape favorable consensus, by manipulative use of information. Sharp power is conceived to expose influence-expansion behavior from authoritarian states, such as China. Taking China as a typical sample, this article explores features of sharp power according to its definition, and then specifies China s behaviors under the context of sharp power. The article finds that the concept of sharp power has its fatal deficiencies in four aspects: () its unclear boundary with soft power and hard power; () its unnecessity due to overlap characteristics with the existing concept of smart power ; () its ideology-led essence disguised in academic terminology; and () its ineffective countermeasure to deal with the real threat. The article also provides two alternative approaches to explain the so-called sharp power of China: () strategic narratives, and () norm diffusion. The former suggests that China s influence-expansion behaviors are the state s projection of strategic narratives to gain international supports; while the latter suggests that China is spreading its norms which rooted in its traditional culture to shape a China-led new world order as a rising normative power. Therefore, China s sharp power is, essentially, the unsuccessful strategic narratives and norm diffusions which are unacceptable by Western audiences or even unconvincing in its domestic contexts. As a rising great power, China is not only challenging current world order with its fast-growing economic strength, widespread overseas investment, burgeoning military force, and progressing technology, but is also ardently expanding its foreign influence in international arena, which
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