Soft Power of Chinese Cities: Factors that Attract International Students to Study in Changchun City

Abstract

More and more international students come to China for higher education, and their host cities become key platforms for demonstrating China’s image and soft power. So far, many studies have analysed international students’ language learning and cultural adaptation, however, very few focus on what factors attract international students to certain Chinese cities instead of others. This study aims to determine the key factors attracting international students to study in Changchun, a city in northeast China, from a qualitative approach. The authors apply both survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews to obtain insights and determine the underlying reasons influencing their selection. Results from a total of 190 questionnaires and 59 interviews are collected for analysis. The results indicate that certain factors, including economic factors, such as the cost of living and scholarships, political factors, such as government coordination, and sociological factors, such as religious tolerance, play dominating roles in their decision-making process. Additionally, the discussion and policy recommendations of each section offer useful insights for policy-makers for attracting and accommodating international visitors to cities like Changchun.