Ding Xueliang, China's Soft Power in Asia: Projection and Profile, The Oriental Press, July 2014

Coined by Harvard professor Joseph Nye in the late 1980s, soft power has been a popular term for over 20 years in international politics. Everyone is talking about how soft power can help their nations gain competitive advantages around the globe, especially as the traditional hard power-oriented international rivalry has been toned down since the Cold War ended.

Since it secured the status quo as the second largest economy, China has nurtured full confidence to regain its glory as a global power. Building and expanding its soft power has become an inevitable test for Beijing.

However, the emerging trend will meet countercurrents from established powers. In addition, China's special State system, values and social thoughts may incur more challenges.

China is exploring plausible ways to elevate its soft power and global influence, but many of these efforts are often regarded as government propaganda. In Chinese academia, piles of books and research documents focus on this critical question, but few are able to offer feasible and down-to-earth solutions.

They put too much effort into the so-called theoretical construction, most of which are clichéd repetition of previous academic achievements, but ignore actual policy feasibility.

But Ding Xueliang, a professor of social science at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, breaks this common pattern. In his China's Soft Power in Asia: Projection and Profile, a small book with about 200 pages, Ding goes straight to the heart of China's soft power predicament. His outspokenness and sharp analysis make this book greatly readable.

Although, as Ding said in the preface, he just wants to talk about the current problems about concrete policies, instead of being wedded to concepts or theories, it can still be regarded as a carefully organized and responsible book.

Ding chooses Asia, especially Southeast Asian countries, as his focus. Ding doesn't believe there is a fixed pattern that can drive China to expand its soft power mechanically.

Instead, he suggests that different approaches will be resorted to in different areas, and that finding ways to advance Chinese soft power in Asian countries must be the first step. It shows his prudence while researching this issue.

Ding doesn't hide his real intention for writing this book. As he said, "This book aims at revealing the improper practices of Chinese policy enforcement agencies when they try to enhance Chinese soft power." Ding's book can serve as a casebook for the frontline people dedicated to promoting Chinese soft power, who can find both vivid cases and enlightening principles which will be beneficial to their work.

Ding has pointed out many misunderstandings Chinese elite have in building soft power. By specifying China's "national interests" in different dimensions, he argues that China must know clearly its strategic objectives in this endeavor.

Besides, he suggests China learn from the US in shaping soft power, especially putting more efforts into the establishment of NGOs.

Hard power like economic and military strength are easily measured, but the real hurdle on the way to becoming a global power is how China maneuvers its growing soft power to better serve its purposes. This is an immediate problem for policymakers and scholars in China.