Abstract
<jats:p>This article examines the Chinese approach to understanding strategic communication (SC) and its relevance in the context of globalization. Cultural values and traditions are becoming important tools for creating a positive image of China, especially in the face of competition with the West. Modern challenges require China to adapt its strategic communication. Culture can serve as the basis for addressing these challenges. The study is based on structural realism, which emphasizes the anarchic nature of the international system. It argues that China should use its cultural heritage to develop its own unique approach to SC, rather than simply copying Western models. Within the framework of this theory, China’s foreign policy is examined through such concepts as “peaceful development,” “soft power,” the Community of Shared Future for Mankind, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which are aimed at strengthening China’s position in the international arena. The methodology used includes comparative and discourse analysis to demonstrate how cultural tools contribute to the formation of China’s strategic communication. The novelty of this article lies in identifying the foundations of China’s SC and key cultural values. The importance of integrating Chinese culture into SC as a key tool for enhancing soft power is explained. The article outlines important milestones in the development of soft power, focusing on socialist culture. The driver of increasing interest in strategic culture under Xi Jinping is identified. Attention is also given to attempts to promote an alternative model of international governance, primarily through the BRI and the Community of Shared Future for Mankind. The value dimensions of the Western and Chinese models are also presented. The article identifies cultural characteristics of China’s soft power, challenges, and adaptations to it in the context of differences in values within the country, criticism from Western countries, and the rapid development of internet platforms and AI technologies. The authors conclude that strategic culture (propaganda) plays an important role in the development of strategic communication both domestically and internationally.</jats:p>