China Funds Culture Promotion Research Project

China approved a special project, “Dynamic Database for the Promotion of China’s Culture Overseas,” under the National Social Science Foundation. The project focuses on four research areas: the “going abroad” strategy, China’s image in international media, Chinese studies overseas, and “China’s position in the world of ideologies and cultures.”

Zhang Xiping, Director of Overseas Chinese Language Studies, Beijing Foreign Language University, and a leader of the project, claimed that the purpose of the project is to serve national strategy. “When research on China’s culture makes an impact on the world, it will augment China’s soft power and help China gain stature in the areas of research and ideology.”  

“To do this, (China) should study the target countries’ short-term and long-term cultural needs and convert those requirements into our basic goals and tasks.” “Research can include Western countries’ acceptance of Chinese culture, each country’s policy on Chinese language and culture, and the history, language, culture, religion, political parties, economy, and natural environment of African and Asian countries that are important to China’s strategic interests.”

Source: Qiushi Journal, January 6, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/wz/jiangt/201101/t20110106_61366.htm