Public Diplomacy and Air Pollution Problem: How the U.S. Used “Beijing Air” to Advance Its Soft Power in China

Abstract

This article argues that updated modeling of public diplomacy necessitates the identification and consideration of stakeholders in domestic politics, bureaucracy, and the target country’s public. The “Beijing Air” case relative to the three models of public diplomacy, namely, interest-oriented public diplomacy, influence-oriented public diplomacy, and value-oriented public diplomacy, revealed that the most far-reaching political outcome was achieved through value-oriented public diplomacy which considered the needs and priorities of the target country’s public as the main stakeholders. The U.S. Embassy’s publishing of PM 2.5 air quality data via social media platforms with the description, “Beijing Air” since 2008 has enhanced awareness regarding PM 2.5 among the Chinese public against a background of drastically deteriorating air quality and provided strong impetus for changes in China’s national air quality management policies. This in turn has increased the U.S.’s soft power by building a reputation for credibility with the Chinese people, which could ultimately lead to creating a more receptive environment for U.S. government policies in China.