Soft China: Esporte como ferramenta de influência ao longo de cem anos (1912-2012)

Abstract

This study examines power beyond borders, focusing on China and its political history to explore how unconventional strategies transcend brute force. It highlights soft power, emphasizing the use of sports as a tool for behavioral influence. Over a century of Chinese history, from the Republic of China to Hu Jintao's government, it analyzes Chinese diplomatic and cultural tactics to expand their global influence. The text delves into the relationship between sports, culture, and power, showcasing cases like ping-pong diplomacy in the 1970s, demonstrating sports as a powerful diplomatic tool in normalizing relations between nations. It highlights figures like Yao Ming, the basketball player whose NBA career promoted understanding between China and the USA. The 2008 Beijing Olympics are presented as a strategic milestone, promoting Chinese culture, consolidating its global position, but also highlighting criticisms regarding freedom and human rights, revealing challenges in the effective construction of Chinese soft power. This comprehensive analysis focuses on the strategic use of sports as an instrument of soft power in China's political and cultural influence, revealing achievements and challenges in global projection, showing how unconventional strategies shaped not only the nation's internal course but also its projection on the global stage.