Title: The status quo of China's internet people-to-people diplomacy and some suggestions

Authors: Shumin Su

Addresses: Department of International Politics, Beijing International Studies University, 100024, China

Abstract: Internet people-to-people diplomacy refers to activities launched by non-state actors including foreign contact, foreign communication and diplomacy involvement by utilising the internet, information communication technologies and network platform. China's internet people-to-people diplomacy is mainly implemented by means of forum and website creation and utilisation of micro-blog and WeChat. It involves many fields such as territorial sovereignty, historical recognition and economy and trade, thus affecting diplomatic decision-making. It is a vigorous addition to official diplomacy. China's internet people-to-people diplomacy has an increasingly important effect on China's national image and soft power. The Chinese Government shall take various measures to standardise and promote the development of internet people-to-people diplomacy.

Keywords: China; internet; people-to-people diplomacy; status quo; non-state actors; foreign contacts; foreign communications; microblogs; WeChat; territorial sovereignty; historical recognition; economy; trade; diplomatic decision making; national image; soft power; forums; website creation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2015.074922

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2015 Vol.3 No.4, pp.307 - 318

Received: 20 Jul 2015
Accepted: 20 Jul 2015
Published online: 24 Feb 2016 *

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