For years, China had an image problem it couldn't shake off — synonymous with cheap exports, heavy censorship, and a state shrouded in secrecy and scandal. That has been changing as the country strives to burnish its image, rising in soft power rankings, with domestic businesses helping Beijing secure a significant facelift. Chinese coffee chains are popping up in New York. Chinese video games are generating billions in revenue. Even Chinese makeup, or "c-beauty," companies are expanding into global markets ...