Pursuing soft power options through the medium of Chinese international students in Australia in a digital age

Abstract

Without denying the importance of international students in the development of soft power in Australia, this study provides a more sober view on pursuing soft power options through the medium of international students. Based on pilot study on Australian Chinese international students' media consumption pattern conducted in January 2012, it is found that Chinese international students barely consume any local media in Australia, and the activities in their leisure time are mainly in the cyberspace through various Chinese social networking sites. This study points out that, in a digital age, internet and other electronic communication are creating a new form of living and long distance nationalist sentiments have been enhanced within the Chinese oversea student's community. Chinese international students are connected almost seamlessly with their home country members in the cyberspace. This long distance nationalism serves as an obstacles for Australian soft power to some degree. = 本文并不否认留学生在发展澳大利亚软实力上的重要性，但提供了一种较此更加审慎的观点。以2012年1月所进行的关于在澳中国留学生媒介消费模式的试验性研究为基础，本文认为中国留学生极少消费澳大利亚当地的媒介产品，他们在大部分业余时间里使用各种中国社交网站来进行线上活动。本研究指出，在数字时代，因特网和其他电子通信产品正在创造一种新的生活方式，远距离的民族主义情感在海外留学生群体中得到了提升。