Soft Pull Vs Hard Landing: Comparing Japan and China’s Soft Power Strategies in The Philippines
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Abstract
Turbulent geopolitical and geoeconomic times overshadow regional soft power dynamics of attraction. Yet China and Japan have been revamping their attempts to charm their southern neighbors to gain political and economic benefits across Southeast Asia. While soft power strategies are not always competitive, the actions of the two East Asian powers could be seen as efforts to outmatch each other within multiple dimensions, such as sociocultural appeal, economic investments and development assistance, and promotion of political values. Drawing upon the literature, semi-structured interviews (10) with regional experts, and a recurring survey (ISEAS State of Southeast Asia), this article investigates the multiple dimensions of soft power dynamics of attraction and influence involving these two main East Asian powers’ efforts in the Philippines, as a potential ‘swing state’ targeted by regional powers, until the immediate period after Marcos’ election in 2022. Combining primary and secondary data, this article embraces and supports mixed methods as a viable toolset when investigating complex soft power dynamics. In doing so, it highlights that – within the considered period – Japan seemed to be favoring a more cautious and targeted approach building on its positive reputation. China’s efforts appeared to be more ambitious, but they carried the risk of backlashing due to contradictions between its rhetoric and conduct, especially in the South China Sea. Overall, research investigating soft power dynamics should not be aimed at supplanting studies about harder strategic and economic considerations but complementing them to provide a fuller picture of regional interactions and beyond.
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