The United States-China Strategic Competition and Roots of Chinese “Harmonious Mission” Military Public Diplomacy Strategy

Abstract

Traditionally viewed as an unconventional foreign policy tool, hard power has recently evolved into a multifaceted mechanism that employs military strength to mediate interactions between military and civilian entities. While national governments frequently leverage hard power to shape foreign public perceptions, academic discourse often underemphasizes the military’s role in advancing public diplomacy. Armed forces globally contribute to public diplomacy initiatives through humanitarian relief, infrastructure development, and international military education and training programs. This article analyzes these practices within the framework of soft power and public diplomacy in a previously unexplored manner, from the perspective of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China thorough the lenses of the hospital ship “Peace Ark,” in comparison with the United States Navy’s hospital ships “Mercy” and “Comfort,” and highlights the influence of military power on diplomatic engagement.

Keywords

Mercy, Peace Ark, hospital ship, congagement strategy, peaceful rise

Citation

Haluk Karadağ, “The United States-China Strategic Competition and Roots of Chinese “Harmonious Mission” Military Public Diplomacy Strategy”, Uluslararası İlişkiler, Advanced Online Publication, 25 November 2025, pp. 1–20. DOI: 10.33458/uidergisi.1825502

Affiliations

Haluk KARADAĞ Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Başkent University, Ankara E-Mail: [email protected] Orcid: 0000-0001-7577-763X