Abstract: The concept of “soft power” came to prominence in Chinese political and academic discourse in the mid-2000s and is now arguably a deliberate and integral part of Chinese foreign policy, facilitating China’s rise by shaping the external environment. Examples of Chinese soft power include economic diplomacy with the global South, the “Beijing Consensus,” public diplomacy initiatives like Confucius Institutes, and even tourism. This study expands on the existing body of scholarly literature on Chinese soft power by exploring its integration with China’s security strategy. Two cases are examined: (1) the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and (2) cross-strait relations. The study demonstrates that soft power is integrated into China’s security strategy and involves a wide range of sources of power