US-China Relationship: Recommendations on US Outreach to China Through the Rhetoric of Soft Power

This paper proposes possible ways to improve the US outreach to China, given that the diplomatic relations between the two countries are experiencing an unprecedented downturn. The report contains two major parts. The first part reviews the current state of the relations with an exploration of the US image in China and the rest of the world, discussing its strengths and weaknesses that should later be considered when conducting foreign policies. The second part offers four recommendations to improve the US image in China through the enhancement of its soft power, including improvements on the use of Chinese social media, city diplomacy, and cultural and educational exchange.