Emerging Resources of China’s Soft Power: A Case Study of Cambodian Participants from Chinese Higher Education Programs

Along with its unprecedented economic rise over the past several decades, debates about China’s soft power push have become heated. Yet, consensus on what exactly constitutes China’s soft power has not been reached. Findings of how resources of Chinese soft power play their roles in the national strategy for global rise are conflicting and lacking empirical rigor. In a much-altered context of China’s recent grand initiatives, the prism of higher education and the region of Southeast Asia both are uniquely significant for interpreting soft power agenda of China. This article aims to capture the recent changes in China’s soft power through a case study analysing the experiences and perceptions of Cambodian participants from China’s higher education programs covering language training, educational development aid, student mobility, and institution/program partnerships. The evidence identifies four emerging resources of Chinese soft power: contemporary life appeal, advancement in science and technology, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education reputation, and economic development model. It further highlights the Belt and Road Initiative as a stimulus for amplifying the influence of the Chinese development model in Southeast Asia, whereas China’s domestic coordination of different players and an ideal mix of soft power resources still have not been formulated.