Berra KIZILYAZI
On July 9, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented the country’s top science and technology award and delivered a significant speech at a meeting in Beijing. At the meeting, Chen Liquan, the founder of China’s lithium battery industry, and Ben De, a radar technology expert, were awarded the “Science and Technology Award.”[i] Xi’s presentation of the awards sends a strategic message showcasing China’s innovative and modern stance, highlighting its technological capabilities on a global scale. Work in areas such as lithium battery and radar technologies provide advantages in areas like energy transition, technological competitiveness, independence, and national security. Therefore, these efforts can directly impact a country’s modernization and long-term development.
This technological advancement in China has not only been a means of economic growth but has also played a significant role in reducing the country’s dependence on the international system. The goals achieved in line with domestic development objectives have enhanced the country’s prestige, contributed to the creation of a strong image, and demonstrated how public diplomacy works in conjunction with international perception management.
Public diplomacy, a key tool of Joseph Nye’s concept of “soft power,” is no longer limited to education, culture, or media; with technological advancements, it now encompasses areas such as artificial intelligence, space technology, and semiconductors. China, utilizing technology and production tools as a strategic advantage, is a prominent global actor shaping the future and successfully advancing in its long-term development plans.
Today, thanks to its investments and technology companies in this field, China has approached the United States’ (US) advanced chip and global artificial intelligence technologies, and the gap has narrowed significantly. Technological advancements have become a crucial component of public diplomacy, having significant effects on the image of states and the messages they wish to convey in the international arena. In this context, China’s National Science and Technology Award Conference has become more than just a conference honoring successful scientists; it has been an event that strengthens the country’s international image, showcases its technological capabilities, and reflects its public diplomacy.
China has now positioned itself as a key player capable of generating knowledge, driving global innovation, and playing a major role in technological advancement. Furthermore, prominent technological fields such as lithium battery technology and radar technology are noteworthy in terms of energy security, defense industry, and strategic deterrence. Digital infrastructures and advanced manufacturing technologies, enhanced by artificial intelligence, constitute other crucial elements supporting China’s leadership in global technological competition, increasing its influence, and enabling it to have a say in setting international standards.
The award ceremony demonstrated that scientific research is progressing in line with foreign policy objectives. Furthermore, technological advancement is reinforced by modernization discourses. Thus, China continues to enhance its international influence not only through its economic and military capacity, but also through its knowledge production and technological leadership capabilities. Especially today, scientific discoveries and innovations play a crucial role in shaping a state’s image and perception in the international arena. Through its progress in this area, China has succeeded in transforming its technological capacity into a public diplomacy instrument capable of creating a global impact.
By integrating science and technology into its national identity, China has combined its achievements in this field with public diplomacy, projecting a more visible, modern, innovative, and trustworthy image to the global public. Thus, the country’s technology-focused development strategy in recent years has enabled the implementation of a comprehensive public diplomacy.
China is effectively leveraging and investing in its technological achievements not only to gain an advantage in economic competition, but also to achieve its goal of becoming a global power shaping the future. China’s work in science and technology has enabled it to stand out by adopting a strategic narrative, highlighting the importance of soft power in achieving leadership in the digital age.
This situation demonstrates a shift in the sphere of influence and authority within the international system, and therefore highlights the multifaceted nature of foreign policy strategies that can adapt to this. A comparison between the Cold War era and the present day serves as an example. Because while military and economic capacity once determined the power or leadership position of states, today it has been replaced by factors such as knowledge production and advanced technology. This transformation has made technology not only a field of competition but also a crucial part of international legitimacy, norm-setting processes, and strategic approaches.
At this point, Joseph Nye’s soft power approach has gained a new dimension with today’s technological transformation. States that establish leadership in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, space technologies, and digital infrastructures are not only directing technological development; they are also influencing the functioning of the international order, the formation of global norms, and international cooperation mechanisms.
China is rapidly progressing towards becoming one of the key players in closely following and shaping the global technological transformation by highlighting its scientific achievements. Therefore, the country’s capacity can now be measured not only by economic and military indicators but also by its technological advancement. Ultimately, China views technology as a public diplomacy instrument, effectively utilizing it for both national development and increased international visibility.
[i] “Lithium battery, radar pioneers win China’s top science award”, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1365509.shtml, (Date of Access: 12,07.2026).