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.

Korea Foundation to bolster ‘soft power’ on global stage

With South Korea increasingly flexing its diplomatic muscles on the international stage, it is time to focus on strengthening its soft power, a scholar-turned-diplomat in Seoul said. Korea Foundation president Kim Woo-sang argues that the nation should foster a network of multilateral cooperation, particularly with emerging “middle power” countries.

Tags: soft power, south korea, education diplomacy, exchanges, middle power states

Taiwan’s Public Diplomacy at a Time of Institutional Change

Public diplomacy can be implemented as a cluster of measures that are more productive than the confrontational steps such as “checkbook diplomacy,” in which Taipei and Beijing competed for formal diplomatic partners.

Tags: china, government pd, public diplomacy, taiwan, reform, ma ying-jeou, checkbook diplomacy

Drone war defensive

Obama’s public diplomacy on drones has its uses on the 2012 campaign trail, but for U.S national security policymakers it is needed to counter the daily reports out of Pakistan that virtually everybody from the pro-American foreign minister to the Islamist right opposes the drone war. In the country’s upcoming presidential election, perennial populist candidate Imran Khan is surging on the strength of his pledge to shoot down U.S. drones.

Tags: public diplomacy, pakistan, osama bin laden, obama administration

What Is the Chinese Dream?

China is steadily gaining the hard power that comes from factories and finance.... But lasting influence in the world has come more from soft than hard power: ideas for living, models of individual, commercial, and social life that people emulate because they are attracted rather than because they are compelled.

Tags: china, soft power, immigration, influence, reform, chinese communist party, internal stability

DFAT budget: On the mend?

Then there's public diplomacy. Have we abandoned this completely? What we used to have was a fairly feeble attempt at a public diplomacy function, with some funding for cultural events and expos (which limp along) complemented by plans for some marginally more rigorous programs which were disbanded before they really started (like the ill-fated 'Australia on the world stage' program)

Tags: public diplomacy, australia, foreign policy, budget, australia network

Does Public Diplomacy in Afghanistan Work? Go Tell the Marines

The Marine Corps decided their own public diplomacy strategy in Afghanistan (though they call it psyops, and other refer to it as propaganda) needed to be evaluated by a third party. They hired the Rand Corporation to review their programs, and then ...published the results, good and bad, for the world to see. Some takeaways...

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, afghanistan, twitter, propaganda, psychological warfare, marine corps

The Diplomacy of Sport

Hundreds of Chinese Students and Faculty filled the auditorium of Tianjin University of Sport for the inauguration ceremony of a unique new center that will share U.S. culture through the medium of sport.

Tags: china, united states, sports diplomacy, cultural exchange, us department of state, universities, embassies, ping pong diplomacy

Selling Ghana- The Role Of The Film Industry

In plain language, putting Ghana’s tourism where we want it also demands the active participation of our film makers. Quite frankly, our filmmakers can’t do this alone. They need a nudge and more from our national branding authorities.

Tags: nation branding, film diplomacy, ghana, film industry

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