How was Beijing's "soft power" formed?

China and the United States are fighting directly, and the interests of both of them collide in different countries. After the collapse of the Gaddafi regime in Libya through US allies, Chinese oil companies lost nearly 50 billion dollars of their investments in this country. Or when the civil war broke out in Yemen, China used its warships to evacuate its citizens. That is, when China faces an unstable situation in the countries it invests in, it also faces financial losses. In Beijing, they believe that Washington is deliberately creating problems for China in various countries.

China's next huge project is the "Great Silk Road". Dozens of countries are interested in participating in this transport project. China will deliver its products to European markets through this transport route. If an unstable situation arises in any country on the transport route, it will have a negative impact on China's interests. Chinese companies sometimes experience security problems in the country where they work. For example, in Pakistan, a convoy carrying engineers of China Gezhouba Group Company Limited was blown up. In the countries of Central Asia, tensions between local workers and the Chinese are also experienced from time to time. For this reason, Beijing is preparing plans to protect its investments and employees working in different countries.

Military preparations have expanded in China. Beijing attaches importance to cooperation with partner countries in this field. For example, about 6,000 soldiers from 107 countries have studied in China's military centers. China is trying to increase the number of friends. Among the foreign military personnel who studied in China, 8 were appointed defense ministers.

The "soft power" used by Beijing is calculated to win it more friends. China is interested in exploiting the underground resources it needs in different countries. Beijing first provides financial support to that country, then attracts investments there, and in the third stage considers the possibilities of military cooperation. For example, China has expanded cooperation with Nigeria, an oil-rich country in Africa, in various fields. Nigerian soldiers attend courses in Chinese military centers. China trains Nigerian military to carry out anti-terrorist operations. This is important for Beijing so that the Nigerian military can protect China's investments and enterprises in this country. China is trying to cooperate with Central Asian countries on the same basis. Although Central Asian countries attach importance to economic relations with China, Beijing prefers a cautious position in military cooperation. Military personnel of Central Asian countries are interested in training in military centers of Turkey.

"Atlas" Research Center