On February 17, the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” took its place among the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time, with its global box office haul at $1.66 billion and climbing. This milestone followed the global success of the video game “Black Myth: Wukong.” Both are emblematic of China’s accelerating cultural exports and expanding soft power.
Domestically, such successes resonate deeply within a society undergoing a state-driven cultural rejuvenation, cultivating a strong culture-centric nationalism. By strategically aligning soft power expansion with this revival of traditional culture, the Chinese government leverages symbolic achievements to enhance its domestic political legitimacy. As China continues to integrate culture into its global strategy, this interplay between external recognition and internal legitimacy will remain central to its pursuit of soft power.
Cultivating a Cultural Rejuvenation at Home
Despite the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s historical campaigns against traditional culture, Xi Jinping’s leadership has placed culture at the core of China’s great rejuvenation plan. Xi actively embraces Chinese traditional culture, reframing the preservation and development of excellent traditional culture as the party’s mission.
This shift is evident in the CCP’s evolving ideological framework. On July 1, 2016, during the 95th anniversary celebration of the party’s founding, Xi notably added “Confidence in Culture” to the established “Three Confidences” introduced at the 18th Party Congress, thus formulating the “Four Confidences.” This marked an explicit elevation of cultural identity within the CCP’s legitimacy discourse, blurring the boundary of culture and ideology.
More recently, Xi’s Thought on Culture was formally introduced during the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideological and Cultural Work in October 2023. While the ideological foundation remains deeply rooted in party doctrine, its practical implementation has increasingly emphasized the revival and promotion of traditional Chinese culture over communist ideological narratives. Underscoring the role of traditional culture in Chinese-style modernization, Beijing suggests that this legacy should be reinvigorated to fuel contemporary national development.
Within this framework, a surge in cultural enthusiasm has become evident across Chinese society. One example is the popularity of Han clothing (hanfu), particularly among the younger generation. In 2023, the number of registered Han clothing-related enterprises in China increased by 355.25 percent year-on-year, with the market size exceeding 14.4 billion yuan. The Chinese Hanfu market is expected to continue to grow, reaching a predicted 24.28 billion yuan by 2027.
This cultural resurgence also reinforces a culture-centric nationalism, where pride in Chinese heritage increasingly defines national identity. For instance, many Chinese take great pride in seeing foreigners wearing traditional Chinese attire, such as the Mamian skirt, or participating in cultural festivities. While foreign appreciation of Chinese traditions is celebrated, reverse cultural exchanges – such as Chinese individuals wearing Japanese kimonos – often provoke nationalist backlash. Similarly, while international adoption of Chinese holidays is welcomed, the domestic celebration of Western festivals like Christmas frequently sparks criticism, with some schools and local governments discouraging or even banning such observances.
The social media landscape further amplifies these dynamics. Trending videos of foreigners eating Chinese cuisine or traveling across China generate significant online traffic in China, reinforcing the narrative of Chinese culture’s global appeal. These trends illustrate how cultural nationalism is not merely state-imposed but also reinforced by popular sentiment, shaping both domestic identity and China’s outward projection of soft power.
Expanding Culture Influence Abroad to Build a Great Power Image at Home
Against the backdrop, China has been actively expanding its cultural influence abroad through two key tactics: deepening engagement with international institutions and promoting the global export of cultural products. These efforts are not only aimed at enhancing China’s soft power on the world stage but also at reinforcing its great power image domestically.
The increasing interaction with international institutions particularly materialized through heritage diplomacy and holding international conferences. By becoming the largest contributor to UNESCO, China has systematically elevated its civilizational stature. As of 2024, China has 44 items on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List and 57 UNESCO World Heritage sites, making it the first and second most enlisted country in the world. Domestic media often portrayed China’s leading role in heritage conservation, linking international recognition to domestic cultural pride. U.N. recognition of Chinese culture – UNESCO’s 2024 recognition of the Chinese New Year, for instance – is celebrated not only as a contribution to world cultural heritage but also as a diplomatic victory.
Concurrently, China has institutionalized its influence through platforms such as the Beijing Culture Forum, the Nishan Forum on World Civilization, and other multilateral forums, promoting “cultural connectivity” under its leadership. Additionally, in 2023, Xi introduced the Global Civilization Initiative, aiming to showcase China’s capability to provide public goods to the international community.
The second strategy revolves around the global export of Chinese cultural products, attempting to merge market success with ideological validation. The success of films such as “Ne Zha” and “The Wandering Earth” highlights China’s growing ability to shape global entertainment markets. In the gaming industry, “Genshin Impact” and “Black Myth: Wukong” have gained massive international followings, bringing Chinese mythology and aesthetics to a global audience.
The 2024 Report on the Chinese Cultural Symbols International Communication Index (CSIC) pointed out that traditional culture is experiencing a resurgence among China’s exported cultural products. These commercial achievements are leveraged domestically as proof that China’s cultural industries are no longer confined to national borders but are actively influencing global cultural trends.
More importantly, the export of cultural products also has an economic motivation. The development of China’s cultural industry is also driving the development of related industries, such as cultural tourism, catering, and film and television. This becomes critical for China against the domestic backdrop of an economic slowdown and a pivot toward the so-called “new productive forces.”
Conclusion
However, while these cultural exports enhance China’s international image, their greatest impact is within China itself. The CCP strategically presents these successes as validation of China’s civilizational strength, reinforcing domestic nationalism and consolidating its legitimacy. The more China’s cultural products are embraced abroad, the stronger the perception that China’s influence is expanding. Through these efforts, China’s cultural diplomacy serves a dual purpose: strengthening its international image while simultaneously deepening domestic confidence in its role as a great power. As China continues to integrate culture into its global strategy, this interplay between external recognition and internal legitimacy will remain central to its pursuit of soft power.
In addition, the extent to which China’s cultural diplomacy can garner foreign support remains uncertain. The success of U.S. soft power, for example, is not solely built on Hollywood but also on a broader spectrum of values, such as human rights and democracy. While China argues that its cultural products convey universal values, such as hard work, family ties, and friendship, it remains unclear how these products can translate into effective soft power.
Furthermore, as nationalism continues to rise globally, the spread of Chinese culture abroad may provoke resistance from other nations, potentially leading to barriers for Chinese cultural exports. It is crucial for Chinese cultural products to adapt to local markets, rather than solely promoting a one-size-fits-all version of Chinese culture. The success of this strategy will depend on a patient, incremental approach – one that carefully balances material benefits with soft power influence.