Dialogue on Views on Civilization | Wenjing
How does the United States export the values and ideas of civilization in the Middle East and even the world?
The Middle East, due to its unique geographical location, abundant resource reserves and complex ethnic and sectarian relationships, has become a focal point for major power competition, leading to frequent conflicts in the region. Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" theory primarily discusses disputes between civilizations and religions, which is highly representative of the Middle East region.
During the Cold War, in order to counter the Soviet Union, the competition for the Middle East became an important part of the United States' global strategy. After the end of the Cold War, with the rapid decline of Russia's influence in the Middle East, the United States gradually expanded its sphere of influence in the region and became the dominant power in the area. The United States is committed to consolidating its strategic position and influence in the Middle East, and in the process of building its position and influence, civilizational and cultural values are key strategic focuses.
From a historical perspective, the Middle East has been a place that Western Christians have admired and longed for, with Jerusalem being a contested holy city among the three major religions. During the Crusades, missionaries from Western Europe developed the idea of spreading Christianity in the Middle East. In the 16th century, Christian missionary activities began to take root and flourish in the region. By the 19th century, these activities had expanded extensively throughout the Middle East. Therefore, in the early stages, the primary means of cultural expansion and outward influence for the United States was through missionary work.
I have been to many Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon and Jordan. Although most Middle Eastern countries are predominantly Islamic, the influence of Christianity spread by American missionaries has had a profound impact. Evangelical Christians are the main body of American missionary work in the Middle East. Their primary approach is through education, by establishing church schools to influence the younger generation in the local communities. Secondly, they impact a large number of ordinary people through medical initiatives, improving healthcare conditions in the region. It can be said that the core concept of early American cultural export to the Middle East was to influence the masses through religion, with the main path being the expansion of civilization and culture from Western Christianity to the Islamic world in the Middle East, particularly among Muslims, Jews and Christians in the Levant, Gulf and North Africa regions.
The dissemination of civilization and culture is based on national strength. In the late 19th century, the United States surpassed Britain to become the world's leading superpower. After World War I, President Wilson put forward the idea of liberal internationalism, ending America's traditional policy of isolationism and establishing a consensus that the United States would lead the world and play a significant role in international issues.
After World War II, the United States enjoyed immense international prestige in terms of both hard power, such as politics and military, and soft power, including ideology. It became the world's "hegemon". The export of American ideas and culture can be divided into two types: political means and market means.
The former is the export of ideology through government manipulation. For example, the United States' "Committee on Public Information", established in 1917, disseminated its free internationalist worldview to the world. The latter is the export of American popular culture, primarily through American goods, technology and the "Americanized" way of life, spreading American culture and values worldwide.
The United States government officially began the export of civilization values, or cultural diplomacy, during World War II. Especially with the onset of the Cold War, cultural diplomacy became an important tool in American foreign policy and a significant component of public diplomacy.
In July 2003, the United States established the Cultural Diplomacy Advisory Committee within the Department of State, primarily responsible for providing advice to the Secretary of State on how to utilize diplomatic policies. The establishment of this institution marked a milestone event in the history of American diplomacy. Additionally, the United States has seen the involvement of numerous non-governmental entities in cultural diplomacy, mainly composed of individuals, volunteer organizations and foundations.
During the Obama administration, the United States placed particular emphasis on cultural outreach. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposed the concept of "smart power", advocating for the use of soft power rather than relying solely on hard power to implement diplomatic strategies.
Hillary Clinton, during her first appearance at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing after assuming the role of U.S. Secretary of State, announced that the new U.S. administration would engage in "smart power" diplomacy, utilizing all means to reshape America's image and enhance its international influence.
Although Joseph Nye provided the theoretical foundation for the concept of "smart power", it was during Hillary Clinton's four-year tenure as Secretary of State that it was truly implemented in diplomatic practice.
Within the framework of the "smart power" diplomatic concept, Hillary Clinton, in collaboration with then-President Obama, helped shift the strategic focus of the United States towards the Asia-Pacific region. They flexibly utilized public diplomacy tools to better uphold America's hegemonic position globally and the international order it had established.
China has a profound cultural heritage of 5,000 years, which has garnered significant interest among many Middle Eastern people, especially the youth, in traditional Chinese culture. China maintains friendly relations with most Middle Eastern countries.
Over the years, the United States has initiated multiple wars in the Middle East, leading people in the region to perceive the U.S. as a creator of conflicts in the Middle East. Particularly after the 9/11 attacks, the favorability of Middle Eastern countries towards the United States reached its lowest point.
After assuming office, President Obama attempted to mend the relationship between the United States and the Islamic world, delivering a speech specifically at Cairo University. However, following the outbreak of the "Arab Spring", the differential treatment by the United States towards different countries in the region left many Middle Eastern countries dissatisfied. In contrast, China has been assisting the people in the Middle East through investments in infrastructure and other areas. However, China's influence on the civilization of the Middle East, as well as other countries worldwide, can be described as "lacking" or disproportionate to its comprehensive strength and global standing.
What to disseminate? We need to construct a renewed Chinese approach that leads human civilization in the 21st century. China respects and protects cultural diversity, advocating for concepts such as "Great Harmony", "Valuing Harmony" and "Benevolence and Love for Others". To help more people in other countries understand China and its culture, elements such as traditional Chinese cuisine and attire serve as excellent mediums for dissemination.
How to disseminate? Chinese media, especially official media, should increase their efforts in global dissemination, particularly by leveraging new media platforms. It is important to focus on "user thinking" and "product thinking" and engage in cultural and civilizational promotion through different perspectives. For example, the social media account YChina initiated by an Israeli youth studying at Peking University's School of International Studies has achieved remarkable results. Additionally, applications like TikTok have a significant market overseas, especially in the Middle East, and can be utilized to allow foreigners to spread Chinese culture and civilization themselves.
In addition, we can also carry out cultural exchange activities through embassies in China, international organizations and university think tanks, as well as organize visits and exchanges for young students.
Who to disseminate to? I believe it is important to increase the dissemination efforts towards the youth, particularly Generation Z, as they are both the recipients and the agents of dissemination. For example, there is a program called Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. During the exchange process, I discovered that they have a great enthusiasm for understanding China. These individuals are the target audience for dissemination that we should highly value.