At the beginning of the twenty-first century, China is poised to become a major global power. And though much has been written of China' s rise, a crucial aspect of this transformation has gone largely unnoticed: the way that China is using soft power to appeal to its neighbors and to distant countries alike. This book is the first to examine the significance of China' s recent reliance on soft power-- diplomacy, trade incentives, cultural and educational exchange opportunities, and other techniques-- to project a benign national image, position itself as a model of social and economic success, and develop stronger international alliances. Drawing on years of experience tracking China' s policies in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Joshua Kurlantzick reveals how China has wooed the world with a "charm offensive" that has largely escaped the attention of American policy makers. Beijing' s new diplomacy has altered the political landscape in Southeast Asia and far beyond, changing the dynamics of China' s relationships with other countries. China also has worked to take advantage of American policy mistakes, Kurlantzick contends. In a provocative conclusion, he considers a future in which China may be the first nation since the Soviet Union to rival the United States in international influence.