自改革開放以來，中國學界大量引進西方的國際關係理論，許多引介、轉譯西方國際關係理論的專著猶如汗牛充棟。但在此同時，隨著中國參與國際事務的程度不斷提升，佐以中國國際關係研究的快速發展，在1980年代後期開始出現關於「具有中國特色」國關理論或理論「中國化」、「本土化」的辯論系列，同時一直延續至今。有不少中國學者似乎亟欲脫離西方國關理論框架，開始嘗試建立中國的國關理論。為了要進一步探討相關知識累積的脈絡演進，本研究將以中國國內知識社群對於柔性權力的論辯為焦點，從批
判性的角度深入探究中國如何重新詮釋和再製西方國關理論的發展軌跡，分析中國學界如何理解具有美式理論色彩的柔性權力，並進一步呈現中國柔性權力的內涵。本文將先探討「馬克思主義中國化」的思維，藉以理解中國知識社群對理論「中國化」的認知，並將中國國關學界針對理論「中國化」的知識累積進行梳理，試圖呈現中國學界對此議題的態度。在分析過程中，本文將以柔性權力理論的經典論述，作為解讀中國柔性權力論述的對照依據。最後，本文將整理中國學界與政界探討柔性權力的文獻，並藉著批判性的文獻回顧探索中國學界對於柔性權力理論的認知圖像。

Since the 1980s, Western discourses on international relations theories
had been introduced to China with the increasing volumes of publications on
international studies. Accordingly, attention among China’s IR epistemic
communities was drawn upon the debate over the intellectual construction of
China’s international studies and the promotion of China’s theoretical
undertakings with local traits. New attempts, therefore, are initiated to draft and re-make China’s perspectives of international politics. One of the significant issues is the introduction and reproduction of soft power in China. This article will begin by introducing intellectual continuity and ruptures on Marxism in China and its implication to the making of international relations theories with Chinese characteristics. Then, it will provide a critical assessment on how China’s epistemic communities re-make the American concept of soft power with Chinese contents. It argues that China’s discourse on soft power is correspondent to serving its national interests and grand strategy. Through the critical literature review, a general understanding of soft power with Chinese characteristics will be clearly framed.