Since last year, there have been speculations as to whether the fire of Arab Spring would spread to China, where fast economic growth has evidently given rise to the demand for greater political participation. In my view, the chance of this is quite low. The eruption of a revolution usually calls for three socio-political conditions. First and foremost, only when the masses have nothing to lose will they choose to revolt.

The spat between Japan and South Korea over two islets, known as Dokdo in Korean, Takeshima in Japanese, and Liancourt Rocks in some international registers, has been propelled into global headlines by an unusual convergence of events.

Recognizing Taiwan's potential to share the global cultural spotlight, Lung entered public service as Taipei City Government's first minister of culture in 1999. She quickly earned a reputation for implementing practical projects that successfully transformed rundown buildings into artist villages, literature houses and museums.

The Chinese teachers are part of the Chinese Guest Teacher Program, which is administered through the College Board and China’s Hanban. The program arranges for visiting teachers from China to teach in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools for one to three years, in order to jump-start or expand school Chinese language and culture programs.

Two members of Congress have released an August 9 letter they sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling on the Obama Administration to strengthen public diplomacy and form a multilateral forum to resolve the Tibet crisis. They specifically call for starting a “contact group” with like-minded governments to have focused meetings on Tibet.

Call it soft power. With Chinese state-owned companies such as China Southern, it is impossible to know where company strategy ends and government policy begins. China Southern may be obscure in Australia now but it is the fourth-largest airline in the world in passengers carried.

Comparing China's public diplomacy to sports activities, where both professionals and public support are critical to success, Zheng addressed a group of top government officials, international affairs experts, and media professionals at the 2012 Charhar public diplomacy conference in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province on Aug. 18.

The "Korean Wave," known as "hallyu," began when the MBC TV soap opera "What is Love?" became a sensation in China after being first broadcast on the state-run CCTV channel in 1996. The Chinese audience response to "Daejanggeum (Jewel in the Palace)," a Korean costume drama starring Lee Young-ae and shown in the country in 2005, was also explosive.