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.

Nixon went to China — and Maryland followed

Forty years ago this month, Maryland began its engagement with China by becoming the site of an iconic exchange in sports diplomacy, a groundbreaking ping-pong match between China and the U.S...The University of Maryland's role in the celebrated milestone of "ping pong diplomacy" signaled the state's early emergence as a pioneer in the promotion of burgeoning U.S.-China ties.

Tags: china, united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, sports diplomacy, ping pong diplomacy

Walter Russell Mead: The myth of America’s decline

The international chattering class has a label for these changes: American decline. The dots look so connectable: The financial crisis, say the pundits, comprehensively demonstrated the failure of "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism...Throw in the assertive new powers and there you have it—the portrait of America in decline.

Tags: china, united states, soft power, public diplomacy, turkey, european union

New ASEAN-Korea chief hails ‘breathtaking’ changes in Myanmar

...From the perspective of ASEAN, Korea has become a strategically important, economically crucial, and culturally rich partner. Korea’s soft power seems to make its impact felt everywhere in Southeast Asia. It fosters an atmosphere favorable for various exchanges between Korea and ASEAN....

Tags: soft power, south korea, culture, southeast asia, asean

US official praises Qatar’s vision

Qatar’s Education City is a prime example of the flourishing partnership and dialogue between the US and the Muslim world, a senior US official has said.
Kathleen Stephens, acting under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs and former ambassador to South Korea, made the observation.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, foreign policy, education diplomacy, qatar, dialogue

‘Local diplomacy’ lays ground for a democratic foreign policy

Diplomacy and cooperation at the level of local institutions, these being the closest administrative units to the public, are also seen as an important asset for public diplomacy, according to experts.

Tags: public diplomacy, turkey, syria, government, institutions

Post-Conflict Branding and Cote d’Ivoire: The Power of Chocolate

Thus post-conflict, there needs to be concentrated efforts to either reintroduce or reemphasize the representations of the best of that society. By doing so, economic and social recovery can be hastened by the benefits of increased country brand awareness.

Tags: nation branding, agriculture, brand image, civil war, post conflict, cote d'ivoire

Message and the medium

Kung fu, pandas or Peking Opera are what one would commonly associate with China - but they are also vital cogs in a massive "soft power" exercise that China hopes will give it more global voice and an image makeover. It is also proving to be a tough challenge for policymakers, as the growth of the country's "soft power" has not been in tandem with that of its "hard power".

Tags: china, soft power, south korea, european union, confucius institutes, culture, confucius institutes project

Taiwan popular as incentive tour destination

Taiwan's soft power has also benefitted the tourism industry, the bureau said, adding that the popularity of Taiwanese movies such as "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and the annual lantern festivals might have contributed to the increasing travel interest in Taiwan.

Tags: china, soft power, taiwan, japan, tourism

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