China’s Soft Power Strategies towards Pakistan: Analysis of the US Press Narrative

Abstract

The global state system is divided based on the power capabilities of states, which consist of hard and soft power. Powerful states confront each other, either directly or indirectly, in pursuit of their national interests and to maintain a balance of power. In today’s globalized world, media plays a crucial role as an instrument for projecting narratives against rival states. The United States, as the world’s leading economic power, seeks to maintain its global hegemony both politically and economically. Meanwhile, China is emerging as the world’s second-largest economy, with the potential to challenge the U.S. in the foreseeable future. One of the key sources of China’s rising influence is its soft power. The U.S. is increasingly concerned about China’s soft power strategies, viewing them as a potential threat to its influence in various regions, including Pakistan, a strategic and long-standing ally of the U.S. This research aims to explore how the U.S. press constructs narratives about China’s soft power strategies in Pakistan and to examine the relationship between the U.S. press and government. Using quantitative content analysis, this study analyzes selected news articles from The New York Times and The Washington Post. The findings reveal that the U.S. press primarily portrays China’s soft power strategies in Pakistan in a conflictual manner.