Using a newly built soft power index,we examine whether and howsoft power affects Chinese firm-level export to the Belt and Road (B&R) countries from 2000 to 2016.We find that soft power has significantly positive effects on both export value and export product types for the B&R countries.These effects are more pronounced than those for non-B&R countries and differ not only between the Belt and the Road countries but also regional groups,firm ownerships,modes of trade,and sectors.Further analysis shows that soft power increases the intensive margin of exports by approximately three times that of the extensive margin.Thus,our findings provide a new perspective for understanding both the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the contemporary economic evolution occurring in China.