China as a soft power
Source: By Shyamal Datta: The Statesman
China’s journey to come of age as a soft power in the world began with the holding of the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. This also marked a tremendous acceleration in the construction of excellent infrastructure in every sphere within a limited span of time for a real boost to economic development and prosperity. The Beijing Olympics thus proved to be a springboard to today’s second largest economy in the world. It also boasts of having the second largest number of foreign tourists from different parts of the world every year.
Since the Olympics, there has been no looking back for China in its march to excel in sports. It has been holding regular international tournaments in all sporting events ~ from soccer to skiing. This ensures the participation of the world’s best sportspersons. China has gained a permanent slot in the world’s sport calendar. It has now staked claim for holding the Winter Olympics in 2022 along with Norway, Poland, Kazhakstan and Ukraine. Considering the preparations now under way, it appears that China is quite hopeful and confident of doing the honour.
For China, “face” mirrors the credibility of a person, party, government and a State. Therefore, its image and credibility are very important to make its presence felt internationally as a soft power.
I wonder if there would be any country in the world which would care to have a system whereby advisories of Dos and Dont’s are issued to its tourists visiting other countries. The idea is to ensure compliance with local sensitivities, manners and etiquette, thereby leaving a favourable impression about the visitors and the country in particular.
China has an “unsated craving” for a home-grown Nobel Prize recipient in Science. It is yet to be fulfilled. It continues to regret that none among the ethnic Chinese, who feature in the list of Nobel Laureates, is the” product of the education system” of Communist China. This is a sad commentary. China has stepped up the ‘quest’ which has reportedly “become entwined in its resurgent nationalism.”
Meanwhile, China’s classical music is touching new shores and trying to bridge cultural divides. Music is known to unite... unlike language which sometimes divides. It is heartening for China to witness an increase in the number of youth evincing interest in this particular form of music.
They have shown special aptitude for playing the violin. Last month, they performed as members of an internationally renowned Canadian orchestra, enthralling the “passionate” local audience in Beijing. It was hailed as a great symphony of East and West and New and Old, holding out hopes of China’s great prospect in the world of classical music.
Another cultural ambition that features in an ever-widening orbit of soft power, is China’s thrust towards promotion of films in the international film market . Though China’s domestic box-office has reportedly grown as the world’s second largest, behind the United States, with anticipated sales likely to touch $ 3.5 billion in 2013, the viewership for Chinese movies in the USA or elsewhere, remains rather discouraging.
As a result, the Chinese film industry has lacked in international experience and is far from reaching the international audience. Consequently, the state-owned China Film Group and the growing numbers of smaller companies are yet to acquire the capacity and capability to become actors on the world stage. Despite “robust growth” in the domestic film industry, China is yet to crack the global market.
According to Rob Cain, a film consultant, the “urge on the part of China’s film industry” to make forays into the international markets has “much to do with the Chinese government’s calibrated focus on the promotion of soft power ~ the ability to project influence through non-military means, including of course, the film business.” It helps spread Chinese culture and its influence.
Over the past few months, China has played host to a galaxy of film stars of international repute from Hollywood. Notably, celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harvey Weinstein and others were the guests in the celebration in September of a planned studio and entertainment complex in the beach city of Qingdao by the Dalian Wanda Group. The proposed development is projected to cost as much as $8.2 billion. The facilities with such huge investment are likely to match, if not surpass, the capacity of studios in the United States.
The air of expectancy has been generated by the stupendous success of some of the best-selling Chinese language films like Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon in the box offices of North America and the presence of Chinese backers, co-stars and settings in products of some international blockbusters which were of Hollywood and with a “Chinese veneer.”
The Chinese film-makers are now on the lookout for Chinese stories with “global appeal and just enough American content or backing to attract viewers who have grown used to Hollywood-style movies”. Also, there would have to be a “lot of English dialogue, but with a Chinese story.”
However, in the evolving scenario of optimism what dampens the spirit of the Chinese film-makers is the “enduring challenge” posed by the Chinese government’s tight control of film content, in particular excessive violence and horror and scenes that might offend third countries and potentially violate religious references. A rigorous censorship would make screening of such films almost impossible.
The international market that beckons Chinese films, based on its classics and novels, will remain a distant dream in the absence of any dilution in the rigidity of regulations and censorship. Without that, Chinese films cannot compete and crack the celluloid world, that exists between America and China, for a “global breakthrough”.
China’s journey to come of age as a soft power in the world began with the holding of the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. This also marked a tremendous acceleration in the construction of excellent infrastructure in every sphere within a limited span of time for a real boost to economic development and prosperity. The Beijing Olympics thus proved to be a springboard to today’s second largest economy in the world. It also boasts of having the second largest number of foreign tourists from different parts of the world every year.
Since the Olympics, there has been no looking back for China in its march to excel in sports. It has been holding regular international tournaments in all sporting events ~ from soccer to skiing. This ensures the participation of the world’s best sportspersons. China has gained a permanent slot in the world’s sport calendar. It has now staked claim for holding the Winter Olympics in 2022 along with Norway, Poland, Kazhakstan and Ukraine. Considering the preparations now under way, it appears that China is quite hopeful and confident of doing the honour.
For China, “face” mirrors the credibility of a person, party, government and a State. Therefore, its image and credibility are very important to make its presence felt internationally as a soft power.
I wonder if there would be any country in the world which would care to have a system whereby advisories of Dos and Dont’s are issued to its tourists visiting other countries. The idea is to ensure compliance with local sensitivities, manners and etiquette, thereby leaving a favourable impression about the visitors and the country in particular.
China has an “unsated craving” for a home-grown Nobel Prize recipient in Science. It is yet to be fulfilled. It continues to regret that none among the ethnic Chinese, who feature in the list of Nobel Laureates, is the” product of the education system” of Communist China. This is a sad commentary. China has stepped up the ‘quest’ which has reportedly “become entwined in its resurgent nationalism.”
Meanwhile, China’s classical music is touching new shores and trying to bridge cultural divides. Music is known to unite... unlike language which sometimes divides. It is heartening for China to witness an increase in the number of youth evincing interest in this particular form of music.
They have shown special aptitude for playing the violin. Last month, they performed as members of an internationally renowned Canadian orchestra, enthralling the “passionate” local audience in Beijing. It was hailed as a great symphony of East and West and New and Old, holding out hopes of China’s great prospect in the world of classical music.
Another cultural ambition that features in an ever-widening orbit of soft power, is China’s thrust towards promotion of films in the international film market . Though China’s domestic box-office has reportedly grown as the world’s second largest, behind the United States, with anticipated sales likely to touch $ 3.5 billion in 2013, the viewership for Chinese movies in the USA or elsewhere, remains rather discouraging.
As a result, the Chinese film industry has lacked in international experience and is far from reaching the international audience. Consequently, the state-owned China Film Group and the growing numbers of smaller companies are yet to acquire the capacity and capability to become actors on the world stage. Despite “robust growth” in the domestic film industry, China is yet to crack the global market.
According to Rob Cain, a film consultant, the “urge on the part of China’s film industry” to make forays into the international markets has “much to do with the Chinese government’s calibrated focus on the promotion of soft power ~ the ability to project influence through non-military means, including of course, the film business.” It helps spread Chinese culture and its influence.
Over the past few months, China has played host to a galaxy of film stars of international repute from Hollywood. Notably, celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harvey Weinstein and others were the guests in the celebration in September of a planned studio and entertainment complex in the beach city of Qingdao by the Dalian Wanda Group. The proposed development is projected to cost as much as $8.2 billion. The facilities with such huge investment are likely to match, if not surpass, the capacity of studios in the United States.
The air of expectancy has been generated by the stupendous success of some of the best-selling Chinese language films like Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon in the box offices of North America and the presence of Chinese backers, co-stars and settings in products of some international blockbusters which were of Hollywood and with a “Chinese veneer.”
The Chinese film-makers are now on the lookout for Chinese stories with “global appeal and just enough American content or backing to attract viewers who have grown used to Hollywood-style movies”. Also, there would have to be a “lot of English dialogue, but with a Chinese story.”
However, in the evolving scenario of optimism what dampens the spirit of the Chinese film-makers is the “enduring challenge” posed by the Chinese government’s tight control of film content, in particular excessive violence and horror and scenes that might offend third countries and potentially violate religious references. A rigorous censorship would make screening of such films almost impossible.
The international market that beckons Chinese films, based on its classics and novels, will remain a distant dream in the absence of any dilution in the rigidity of regulations and censorship. Without that, Chinese films cannot compete and crack the celluloid world, that exists between America and China, for a “global breakthrough”.
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