With the emergence of globalization and the emergence of new powers, emerging countries have provided mechanisms to achieve a multilateral order. One of the strategies pursued by these countries has been to use soft power to weaken the hegemony of the United States at the global and regional levels. China has been trying to challenge American ideological ideals in various regions for many years, and the United States, in turn, is trying to consolidate its position throughout the world; one of the most important global regions is South Africa, which is the gateway to the African continent. The United States and China are trying to strengthen their presence in South Africa; for this purpose, they turned to active cultural diplomacy in this country. Therefore, the question that we want to address in this research is how China's cultural diplomacy has had a greater impact on South African society compared to the United States and whether these effects have positive or negative consequences. The hypothesis that is considered in this research. China’s cultural diplomacy in South Africa, due to its focus on promoting language and culture with the aim of creating coexistence, has been more successful in attracting attention and creating lasting influence among the country’s elite and younger generation than US cultural diplomacy, which has been more focused on supporting elites and non-governmental institutions with the aim of cultural dominance. The findings of this research are analyzed within the framework of Nai’s soft power and using a case-based comparative method.