Educating the World About China: Pedagogy and Public Diplomacy

Public diplomacy, governments communicating with publics abroad (and at home), can be construed as a form of education and is likely to benefit from the application of established principles of pedagogy. Western public opinion has turned against China despite, or possibly because of, the Chinese government newly engaging in public diplomacy. Whether or not one agrees with Chinese messaging, there is merit in being able properly to understand it. The English language version of the 2023 Chinese foreign policy white paper, taken as an illustrative case-study, is evaluated with respect to relevant pedagogic competences. Drawing on experience from cross-cultural instruction – including requirements for mutual learning, respect and empathy – reveals that the commitment to change advocated by the White Paper demands more from foreign governments and publics than from China. Meanwhile, there is scope for China to better respond to the didactic necessity of accommodating the expectations of foreign audiences, including their critical evaluation of information and widespread distrust of government sources. Likewise, potential exists to enhance the response to address cognitive dissonance, notably that arising from positive stories about China. Furthermore, literal translations of Chinese into English frequently disregard cultural interpretations and thereby distort the messaging and risk alienating audiences.