IDEOLOGICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Abstract

The article analyzes the formation and evolution of the People’s Republic of China’s public diplomacy in the context of the transformation of its foreign policy strategy and international positioning. It is established that the term “public diplomacy” entered Chinese political and academic discourse only in the 1990s. In contrast, previously, the concepts of “external communication” and “government communication” had prevailed, largely characterized by a one-sided and formalized approach. Such a model, focused on disseminating officially sanctioned narratives without taking into account feedback from foreign audiences, contributed to the formation of a distorted image of the state, particularly within the Western discourse of the “China threat.” The study identifies the historical, political, and economic preconditions for the emer- gence of a new model of public diplomacy, including the consequences of the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Cultural Revolution,” as well as Deng Xiaoping’s reform course, which initiated the country’s modernization and introduced a new foreign policy doctrine. The impact of the 1989 Tiananmen Square events and the collapse of the Soviet Union on the transformation of China’s international perception is also examined. The institutionalization of public diplomacy is analyzed, including the establishment of the State Council Information Office, the activities of Zhao Qizheng, and the implemen- tation of the concepts of “Peaceful Rise” (Zheng Bijian), “Peaceful Development,” and “Harmonious World” (Hu Jintao). Particular attention is paid to the growing role of soft power, cultural diplomacy, and strategic communications during the leadership of Xi Jinping, especially the 2021 strategy of “improving China’s international communication capacity,” aimed at strengthening discursive power, promoting the Chinese development model, and advancing the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind.” The regulatory and legal framework governing this sphere is also highlighted, including the provisions of the PRC Law on Foreign Relations (2023). The article concludes that contemporary Chinese public diplomacy represents a comprehensive system integrated into national security mechanisms, combining ideological, informational, and diplomat- ic instruments to shape the image of China as a peaceful, responsible, and culturally distinctive state striving for global cooperation and national rejuvenation within the narrative of the “Chinese Dream.”