The spending is part of China’s goal of expanding its “soft power" and influence throughout the world. Beijing describes this as a means of “exerting more international influence through diplomacy and national image-lifting.”
The money will fund Chinese government activities sponsored by the Foreign Ministry, the intelligence services and a Party organization known as the United Front Work Department, a key strategic outlet used by China to conduct “perception management” operations.
China has said the money will be used mainly to fund overseas aids programs, peacekeeping operations and increased membership fees at international organizations.
U.S. officials say China seeks to play down any threat perception by insisting it seeks a “peaceful rise” in the world. China’s government and party use foreign business and others considered “friends” to promote propaganda themes in exchange for easy travel to China and access to state-run companies for business.
"We should never underestimate the importance of building soft power as economic miracle is only one side of China's rising in the world arena," said National People’s Congress Deputy Pang Fuchun, a philosophy professor at Wuhan University in central Hubei Province.
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