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 key aspect of this transformation has gone largely unnoticed: the way that China is using soft power and diplomacy to appeal to its neighbours and distant countries alike. In this provocative book, Joshua Kurlantzick examines 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 on-the-ground experience tracking China's policies in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, Kurlantzick shows how China has wooed the world with a 'charm offensive' that has largely escaped the world's attention. In his persuasively argued 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.