TTLV: China's Soft Power Strategy During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty

1. Student's full name: Nguyen Tuan Anh 2. Gender: Male

3. Date of birth: February 27, 1984

4. Place of birth: Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

5. Decision No. 4295/2016/QD-XHNV-DT, dated December 16, 2017, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process:

(Note the types of changes and the corresponding times)

7. Thesis Title: China's Soft Power Strategy During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty

8. Major:International RelationsCode: 60 31 02 06

9. Scientific Advisor: Dr. Pham Duc Anh, Deputy Head of the Science and Technology Department, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This topic is the first to research the "soft power" of the Chinese during the Eastern Zhou period, aiming to understand the methods and thinking behind China's application of this power throughout history. This understanding will then contribute to a better grasp of China's current soft power strategy, as modern Chinese soft power is a continuation and development of the past. Studying this issue provides Vietnam with a basis for drawing lessons in dealing with China's soft power, as well as in building and deploying Vietnam's own soft power.

The study points out that in China, during the Eastern Zhou period, the concept of soft power had not yet become a theory, and even other countries were not yet aware of this type of power. However, the study also points out that the Eastern Zhou period is the earliest period in history where evidence and signs of the formation, construction, and development of soft power strategies by the Chinese have appeared. Although not explicitly named as soft power as it is today, many strategies of various countries aimed at building and deploying soft power became widespread and effective; in fact, the value of these strategies has been inherited, developed, and is still used by China today.

This study points out several methods and measures that China is currently using, inherited and developed from soft power strategies dating back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, with the aim of strengthening China's soft power both domestically and internationally. For Vietnam, China increases its soft power through key tools such as cultural dissemination, enhanced public diplomacy, the establishment of Confucius Institutes, and the use of economic aid accompanied by political conditions. This creates many opportunities for Vietnam, but also presents numerous difficulties and challenges in all areas, from politics and security to economics and culture.

This topic shows that Vietnam is significantly affected by China's soft power. Therefore, Vietnam needs to build a sustainable roadmap with a long-term, comprehensive vision, tailored to its domestic characteristics and conditions, and considered in relation to neighboring countries, the region, and the world, in order to respond to and mitigate the negative impacts of China's soft power deployment. Furthermore, Vietnam should seize the opportunity to comprehensively build and develop its soft power as a resource to increase goodwill, international attractiveness, and the ability to protect national interests in areas related to territorial sovereignty, political interests, economic interests, and cultural sovereignty.

11. Practical applications: Providing scientific arguments that contribute to building strategies for countering the negative impacts of China's soft power, as well as building strategies for utilizing Vietnam's soft power, thus contributing to the cause of national construction and defense.

12. Further research directions: The development of Chinese soft power theory and thought from ancient times to the modern era; solutions for effectively utilizing soft power in Vietnam in the present period.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: NGUYEN TUAN ANH. 2. Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: February 27, 1984 4. Place of birth: Hanoi.

5. Admission decision number: 4295/2016/QD-XHNV-ĐT Dated: December 16, 2017.

6. Changes in academic process: none

(List the forms of change and corresponding times)

7. Official thesis title: China's strategy of using soft power in the Eastern Zhou period

8. Major: International Relations 9. Code:60 31 02 06

10. SupervisorsDr. Pham Duc Anh, Deputy Director, Department of Science & Technology,
Vietnam National University, Hanoi

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

This is the first study done on the “soft power” of the Chinese people during the Eastern Zhou period in order to understand the method and the thinking on how this power was used by China. Since modern Chinese soft power is inherited and promoted from the past, this study helps clarify China's current strategy of using soft power. Studying this issue also gives Vietnam a basis to draw lessons in dealing with China's soft power as well as in building and deploying its soft power.

The study shows that: in China, during the Eastern Zhou period, the concept of soft power had not become an official theory, even countries had not been aware of this kind of power. However, the study also points out: the Eastern Zhou period was the oldest time in history where there were evidences and signs of the formation, construction and development of the soft power strategy of the Chinese people. Despite not being named soft power as it is today, many countries' strategies of building and deploying soft power have become popularized and proved effective. Even the value of such strategies have been inherited, developed and used by China to this day.

The study shows that a number of measures that China is currently using to boost its soft power in foreign and domestic affairs are automatically developed the Eastern Zhou period, with the purpose to enhance the soft power of China in both domestic and foreign affairs. For Vietnam, China applies its soft power through such key tools as cultural popularization, public diplomacy strengthening, establishing Confucius Institute, and using economic aid accompanying with key political conditions. This not only creates numerous opportunities for Vietnam, but also poses various difficulties and challenges in all fields, from politics, security to economy and culture.

The study also points out that Vietnam is considerably influenced by China's soft power. Therefore, Vietnam needs to build a sustainable roadmap with a long-term and transparent vision, consistent with the characteristics and conditions of the country. Vietnam should develop its roadmap while considering the relations with neighboring countries and those in the region and the world in order to deal with and limit the negative effects of China's soft power. In addition, Vietnam should also seize any opportunities to comprehensively build and develop its soft power to enable itself to protect national interests in various fields such as territorial sovereignty, politics, economy and cultural sovereignty.

12. Practical applicability, if any:

Providing scientific grounding to contribute to building a strategy to prevent the negative impacts of China's soft power as well as building a strategy to use Vietnam's soft power, making contributions to the cause of national construction and defense.

13. Further research directions, if any:

The development of Chinese theory and ideology using soft power from ancient times to modern times; effective solutions for Vietnam to use soft power in the current period

14. Thesis-related publications: none