How China’s Digital Culture Quietly Became a Global Soft Power Force
For decades, China struggled with an uncomfortable paradox. It became one of the most economically powerful nations on Earth, yet its cultural influence lagged far behind its financial and industrial reach. Unlike the United States, whose movies, music, and tech brands shaped global imagination, or Japan and South Korea, whose anime and K-pop captivated younger generations worldwide, China’s cultural footprint felt limited, state-driven, and often uninspiring. That reality has changed — and it has changed in a way few policymakers, analysts, or even Beijing’s own planners fully anticipated. Today, Chinese cultural products are breaking into global mainstream consciousness at a … Read more