Wang Chen, the head of the State Council Information Office, stated at a recent conference, “With the ever intensified competition between countries in the area of national cultural soft power, the role of external communication has increased in importance. It helps China to develop into a powerful nation with socialist culture."
Wang, one of the top officials in charge of Beijing’s domestic and international propaganda, said that, as the world’s second largest economy, China needs to improve its cultural soft power. “Being capable in international communication is an integral part of [developing] cultural soft power and an important means to safeguard the nation’s image.” “Increasing our efforts in external communication is to implement the requirements of the Party’s sixth plenary session of the 17th Congress.”
Wang emphasized that today’s world hopes to hear more from China, as the U.S. and Europe are plagued by debt problems. He asked for China’s discourse system in the international community to be built up and for the channels for cultural exchanges to expand constantly.
Source: Xinhua, October 28, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-10/28/c_111131045.htm