Playing Safe or Taking Risks? Comparing China and Japan's Soft Power Strategies in Thailand.

This paper aims to highlight the increasing value of Joseph Nye's concept of soft power in East Asia by observing the actions of China and Japan in Thailand. The two major powers are trying to gather sociocultural and political resources towards improved economic relations and collaborations, while mostly detaching from ideological promotion. This article gathers opinions from "intellectual elites" to assess how the two countries understand soft power in action while outlining their main objectives, strategies, and impact. Although China's reputation is gradually improving, the country seems to be playing a risky game where admiration for its economic prowess and skepticism towards its opaque methods are equally present, resulting in a precarious position. Japan's image is still positive and stable, but its safe‐playing stance seems to reflect the geopolitical status‐quo and could be a missed opportunity to emerge as the third option beyond China and the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]