South Korea’s extraordinary ascent is unlikely to be a temporary phenomenon, but the political direction of its soft power is yet to be determined.
In a difficult period in which borders are being shut and dialogue and negotiations are less and less present, Japan’s foreign policy should be aimed at connecting.
The international actors that manage to cope with today’s uncertain times are the ones that might see the strongest reputational upturn.
China’s culture still has limited appeal, but as long as it is supported by economic assets and growth, its soft power is bound to attract.
If Thailand manages to advance a mutually agreed vision for regional connectivity, it can potentially benefit both from competition and collaboration.
A reassessment of how China wants to present itself to the world should come sooner than later, as it takes a long time to build a trustworthy reputation.
Soft power is a term coined by Joseph Nye in the late 1980s. Soft or not, Chinese strategies are all-pervading although not necessarily sustainable in the current state.
When dealing with such a prominent and complex power as China, discussing and generalizing about its conduct may raise more questions than it answers.
Further initiatives and programmes ought to be instilled to encourage ASEAN students to pursue their education within ASEAN states.
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