First, the word 'power' itself used in the context of international relations is usually linked with the meaning of coercion, threat, and militarycontrol. This does not quite fit China's traditional philosophy of peace under the heaven or peaceful co-existence. Secondly, Joseph Nye developed this concept at a time when the U.S. military power, that is the hard power, is declining. It is an imperative for the U.S., a superpower, to find another kind of power to exert its influence, thus to develop the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce and rather than using force or money as a means of persuasion. It is natural for a big power which is used to controlling the world with force. Yet China is pursuing a policy of peaceful rise and calls for the building of a harmonious world. To use the concept of 'soft power' would be contradictory to its principle. What is more, to encourage or seek 'soft power' may scare away the old friends of developing countries, especially those small and weak nations.

Therefore, the conclusion is that the press is neither the devil nor angel. Although we cannot neglect its role, we should not care too much for its coverage. If we do things according to our own determination and strategy without too much caring for what others say, we can achieve our goal. As an Arabic proverb goes, 'Dogs are barking, yet the camels are heading forward.

Li Anshan is based at the Center for African Studies, Peking University

Notes:

[i] Mohamed Keita, "Africa's Free Press Problem", Op-Ed contributor, New York Times, April 15, 2012 , http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/opinion/africas-free-press-problem.html?_r=1

[ii] "Speech by Ambassador Zhang Ming in the Public Lecture on China-Africa Relations", http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/zwbd/t429480.htm 2012/3/12.

[iii] Interview in a meeting with Chinese State-owned companies, Nairobi, Kenya, May 23, 2009.

[iv] Roberta Cohen, "China Has Used Prison Labor in Africa", New York Times, May 11,1991. I got this source from Yan Hairong and Barry Sautman. I would like to thank them both for sending me their unpublished article which will appear in the forthcoming issue of China Quarterly.

[v] "The Hopeless Continent", The Economist, 13 May, 2000.

[vi] "The Hopeful Continent: Africa rising", The Economist, 3 December, 2011, p.13.

[vii] Li Anshan, "In Defense of China: China's African Strategy and State Image", World Economy and Politcs, No.4, 2008, pp.6-15.

[viii] I searched "ruan shi li", the Chinese translation of "soft power", in the Chinese search-engine Baidu, the number of the expression reaches 19,000,000 entries.

(allAfrica.com May 17 2012)