A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.

China Poised to Pass U.S. as Top Business-Travel Market

China is poised to displace the U.S. as the world’s biggest business-travel market by 2016, aided by accelerating export growth and slowing inflation.  In China, the increasing pace of exports since mid-2013, consumer prices running below government targets and nominal wage gains that support more spending and profit growth are contributing to an expansion in the market. 

Tags: china, business diplomacy, united states, travel, emerging markets, asia pacific, tourism

Social Media Spreads Messages of Israel-Hamas Conflict

The bruising battle between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has carved out a bloody new front in social media — one that has bypassed traditional news outlets and burned a straight path toward advocates on all sides.

Tags: israel, hamas, social media, new technology, digital diplomacy, operation protective edge, israel-palestinian conflict

China’s Navy Shows Off Massage Techniques in Soft-Power Display

On a Chinese hospital ship off Hawaii, crew members demonstrate traditional massage techniques to U.S. sailors. The mood is one of collegiality, even after China opted out of Japan-led humanitarian drills at the world’s largest international naval exercise.

Tags: china, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, military diplomacy, united states, people-to-people

China Cements Eurasian Trade Routes With Great Silk Road Revival: The Infographic

China has been quietly working to recreate one of the most legendary trade routes, "the Silk Road", linking Africa to the Middle East (Iraq and Iran) to India, to Indonesia and all culminating in Beijing, while at the same time the reverse leg of the route goes to Kazakhstan, Moscow and ultimately, Germany. The purpose: "to enhance political and economic ties with southeast Asia and beyond."

Tags: china, silk road, europe, asia, trade, soft power, Silk Road Economic Belt, Cultural Diplomacy

The New Scramble for Africa

The new battle for Africa does not deploy strong-arm tactics, it is now a soft power game: economic and humanitarian aid, interest-free loans, preferential trade agreements and investments in infrastructure are currency across a continent that is, for the world's established and emerging powers, seemingly up for grabs.

Tags: soft power, africa, united states, foreign aid, humanitarian aid, aid diplomacy, trade, foreign investment

European Jews Face Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism in Gaza Operation's Wake

Jews in Europe are facing a rising tide of anti-Semitism, as left-wing, right-wing and Islamic groups take to the streets to protest against Israel's military operation in Gaza.  There has been also been an explosion of anti-Semitic abuse on social networks, including Facebook and Twitter.

Tags: europe, anti-semitism, israel-palestinian conflict, public opinion, operation protective edge, social media, twitter, facebook, new technology, digital diplomacy

Unconventional Ramadan Camp Draws D.C.-Area Kids

Held for the second time this year, the camp mostly eschews religious practice, except for brief midday prayers. Instead, the emphasis is on traditional Islamic arts and crafts that are not commonly taught in America — including paper marbling, marquetry (wood inlay) and decorative bookbinding — as well as on personal development through community service and leadership workshops.

Tags: united states, washington dc, faith diplomacy, ramadan, islam, Cultural Diplomacy

Germany Seeks US-Style EU Integration

The German ambassador's lecture was part of an EU public diplomacy program, titled "EU Goes to School" under which the ambassadors visit schools to give presentations about the regional bloc and their home countries to students.

Tags: european union, germany, education, student activism, regional integration, france

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