The Sage Helps the Celestial Empire: Promotion of the Confucius Institutes' Global Network as an Instrument of the PRC's Soft Power Policy in the Great Eastern Asia Region

This article considers the main features of the network of Confucius Institutes (CIs) and Confucius Classrooms (CCs) as an instrument of China's soft power policy in Great Eastern Asia region. The first part examines linkages between the soft power policy and the evolution of the existing system of international relations. It notes the importance of soft power in preventing an erosion of state sovereignty and considers the model of spreading soft power as well as China's official approach. The second part of the article considers the main principles and features of the CI and CC system and the major points of its development. It analyzes the influence of the CI and CC headquarters on their development and function. The third part examines the main functions of CI and CC including education and other soft power ways to promote China. The fourth part considers the network's existing finance mechanisms. The fifth part analyzes the main methods of CI and CC work and the reasons of their successful effectiveness. The sixth part examines the spread of the network in Great Eastern Asia and the United States, including challenges and successes. In conclusion, the author summarizes the results of this analysis and offers recommendations to promote similar soft power mechanisms for Russia.