Like I've said before, American "soft power" and Chinese "soft power" both operate through sacks of money changing hands. The operative difference is the distribution of payouts. The Chinese will buy off one guy in a decision making roll. The American way is to form a so-called https://twitter.com/mr_scientism/status/1346538748973113344

independent NGO, endowed through so and so foundation, and dribble out smaller payments to a wider array of journalists, think tankers, activists, etc. The Chinese way is more likely to impact immediate policy, but the US method is more enduring because it's shills become

perpetual dependents of the US government. Being financially independent means policy independence. A middle class precarious living means you stay bought. The US doesn't pay just through but also via the currency of status. Being a resident fellow is a status marker to bugmen.