China Agenda Setting in South Asia: Skills of Smart Power

Academic Paper from the year 2018 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: Miscellaneous, Tribhuvan University (Department of Conflict, Peace and Development Studies), language: English, abstract: In setting of today's international system, the Chinese foreign policy in South Asia is increasingly influenced due to the determinants of geopolitical and political economy outlooks. This paper attempts to explore Chinese agenda setting in South Asia in terms of soft and hard power policies. China has been expanded its geopolitical and economic interest in South Asia by means of investment, aid, military assistance, economic cooperation and trade ties. By using as an instrument of "smart power" (adroit behavior of using soft and hard power collectively) has become a vehicle to promote the Chinese national interests in South Asia. Based on the analysis of various determinants concerning soft and hard power, this paper contextualized that China is competently functioning its skills of smart power in realm of South Asia.