Recently, an article titled "Why China Is Getting Cooler" was published in The Economist, stating that China's international image has steadily improved over the past three years and that more and more foreign youth are beginning to think China is cool. Although this soft power enhancement cannot be separated from the continuous investment of the Chinese government, the article in The Economist believes that in the matter of making China "cool", the Chinese civilian sector plays an important role. At the beginning of the article, The Economist directly mentioned the American top streamer "Hyperthyroidism Brother", who came to multiple places in China last month for live broadcasts. It said that during his two-week trip, by showcasing China's advanced technology, friendly people, and rich history, he not only enhanced China's international image but also achieved results that were more prominent than some traditional propaganda methods. Subsequently, The Economist stated that over the past few years, the Chinese government has also been continuously investing in shaping a good international image of China, including opening hundreds of Confucius Institutes overseas and inviting foreign journalists to ride high-speed trains in China. Nowadays, the Chinese civilian sector is injecting new vitality into the construction of China's international image - for example, private enterprises in various fields of science and technology in China. According to The Economist's introduction, these private enterprises include stars in the field of artificial intelligence like DeepSeek (DeepQuest), as well as game companies such as miHoYo and Game Science behind internationally popular games like Genshin Impact and AAA masterpieces like Black Myth: Wukong; they also include global leaders in new energy vehicles and drones like BYD and DJI, and social platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu that have recently become popular internationally. Even short-form web dramas from China, which have caught fire in many countries like Mexico and Indonesia thanks to these technological advancements.

As a result, The Economist said that multiple international polls show that foreigners' goodwill towards China has significantly increased since 2022. Among them, in a brand poll list focusing on a country's reputation and influence, China ranked second this year, just after the United States, while in 2021, China's ranking was only eighth. In another poll conducted by a foreign NGO, foreigners' goodwill towards China has steadily increased since 2022, increasing by 18 percentage points over three years, whereas people's goodwill towards the United States declined by 27 percentage points during the same period. In the final part of the article, The Economist, by quoting views from foreign experts and foreign students who once studied in China, once again emphasized the theme: this natural presentation of the beautiful side of China's civilian sector is making China seem very cool. Gao Lei Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7507900632070734362/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal opinions. Please express your attitude by clicking the "Like" or "Dislike" button below.