Chinese Soft Power: Creating a Charm Image in the Islamic World

In recent years, the rise of China as an emerging great power has been widely perceived across the world. China adhered to a new strategy which focuses on improvement of its image in the world. China‘s soft power strategy in the Islamic world is little researched. However, the Islamic world is of paramount global importance as Muslim-majority countries provide nearly 45 percent of the world‘s supply. The purpose of this paper is to explain China‘s soft power strategy in the Islamic world through focusing on economic, cultural, political and military soft power initiatives. This paper examines the elements which characterize China‘s interest in the Islamic world and China‘s strategies for promotion of its interests in the area. The paper argues that China‘s pivot towards the Islamic world is primarily driven from its perception of securing energy sources, as well as other economic interests. Although China‘s soft power strategy is mainly focused on economic and cultural soft power creativities, but political and military soft power initiatives have taken a larger focus in recent years.