China steps into soft power vacuum as the US retreats under Donald Trump

Xi Jinping has invited 'more countries to ride the fast train of Chinese development'

Soft power is the ability of a country to shape other countries’ views, attitudes, perceptions and actions without force or coercion. Its importance has been acknowledged for centuries, though the term was only coined by American political scientist and author Joseph Nye in the late 1980s.

A country’s soft power depends on many factors, including its performance, global image and international reputation. A state can use soft power to attract supporters and partners towards its policies, views and actions.

Take, for instance, the case of China’s giant pandas.

In 685 AD Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang