Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2013 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, April 7, 2013. Photo: Xinhua" src="http://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2011/d70b9b42-fe2c-4b80-b510-8d733a15eba8.jpeg">

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is playing an increasingly effective role. It is expected that its influence will match that of the Davos forum. Does this have anything to do with developments in China's soft power?

It may take a few years before the Chinese fully understand soft power. Soft power, as a concept, has been widely discussed in China, the understanding of which mainly comes from the explanation of the man who first outlined it, American scholar Joseph Nye, and observations of US soft power. But China may adopt a different means to developing soft power.

The world has sensed that the significance of the BFA is unexpectedly rising, which means China has acquired a certain amount of power. It is hard to distinguish if it is soft power or hard power, but its influence on China is clearly being felt.

China has two kinds of power. One is the fortune and strength it has accumulated in the past as well as its current large production capacities. The other is the country's political and cultural capabilities that have enabled and will continue to enable China to develop rapidly.

These two forms of power are the foundation of China's overall influence at present and will be in the foreseeable future.

China's soft power must stem from these powers. It is part of them and also an extension of them.

Western mainstream opinion has been addicted to scrutinizing China. Applause for China is limited. But the world is increasingly interested in China, and China's overall attractiveness is also rising. While critical voices in the West have been increasing in number, global opinion of China has become more diverse. The wall of anti-Chinese sentiment is gradually being lifted.

While China is paying diminishing attention to praise from the rest of the world, the outside world is paying more attention to China's power. This will lead to recognition of China's soft power.

The success of the Boao forum shows the amazing overall development China has achieved. China doesn't need to hurry to build its soft power. As long as China develops on the right path, soft power will be gained.

China has been developing rapidly, but problems are prominent. However, China's development path is a contribution to human progress. Ultimately, results are the means by which the truth is judged.

China has always stressed that it embraces peace. So have other countries. The standards of peace are determined by the interests of Western countries. As China gets stronger, its core interests will also be incorporated into these standards. Doubt over China's core interests will diminish, and China will use its soft power more freely.

Now the world is watching China. Whenever China overcomes a problem, its soft power will increase.