Please help me understand how this form of diplomacy work. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Why countries accept this form of diplomacy from China? Any other things I should know?
Thanks appreciate it.
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Good feelings aren’t nothing. Nations are still made up of (and led by) people who respond emotionally to favors and slights. Friends loan each other stuff, enemies fight. The decisions that lead to being allies or enemies are often influenced by gut feelings.
The U.S. and China fought a full-on war in Korea in the 50s, and had no diplomatic relations afterwards. Things were not friendly. In 1972, when Nixon visited China, it was a really big deal. This was a guy who’d built his career on opposing communism, and once basically personally put a Soviet spy in jail, saying that it was time for the U.S. and a major communist nation to open up and be cool with each other. For the Chinese government to send an animal that’s a beloved symbol of their country was a big gesture. People coming to the National Zoo to see the pandas were more likely to think positively of China and friendly relations.
People have positive and negative attitudes towards different countries. Soft diplomacy tries to influence that.
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