In the contemporary era, the modalities of national diplomacy are undergoing profound transformation. While music has historically functioned as an important instrument of statecraft and intercultural encounter, its diplomatic role is now being redefined within the broader context of transnational communication and cultural exchange. Amid intensifying global competition over soft power, many countries have developed policy-driven initiatives that mobilize their distinctive cultural resources to advance music diplomacy, thereby experimenting with diverse strategies of international engagement. This paper focuses on the course “Cross-Cultural Music Diplomacy,” implemented under the 111 Program by the music department at BLCU. Using a case study approach, the research systematically tracks the project over four years, observing and analyzing the participation of 53 students. Findings indicate that the course has successfully constructed a micro-mechanism of cultural export through a tripartite model of teaching-performance-communication. Students performed world music—covering representative works from North America, Central America, West Africa, Oceania, East Asia, Northern Europe, and Eastern Europe—on Chinese traditional instruments, including the erhu, guzheng, dizi, pipa, sheng, and yangqin, among others. In doing so, they engaged in a pedagogical process that transformed the identity of these instruments from locally rooted to globally resonant. This process reflects a dual trajectory of de-localization and re-identification, offering a new mode of transmission within the global music discourse. Compared with traditional models of cultural export, this form of music diplomacy emphasizes small-scale, strategic cultural encounters anchored in educational settings. It provides micro-level support for national cultural diplomacy strategies and represents an innovative paradigm of soft power cultivation within the 111 Program (The Discipline Innovation and Talent Introduction Program for Higher Education Institutions). By examining the interplay between policy practice and cultural strategy, this study reveals the practical potential of Chinese universities to enhance national cultural influence through music, and highlights music’s evolving role from a tool of cultural transmission to a dynamic resource for diplomacy.