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.
Nation Brand Perception: Singapore No. 1
When it comes to making a good impression, no one does it better than Singapore. So says a survey of 200 countries and territories, which ranked the Republic tops in a 'nation brand perception' exercise done last year. The first-time study, named the East West Global Index 200 and released last Tuesday, was based on an analysis of news coverage in leading media. Hong Kong was in second place and Malaysia in third. China ranked 32nd, the United States was in 131st place while Afghanistan rounded up the long list.
In The Heart Of New York, Russia’s ‘Soft Power’ Arm Gaining Momentum
The Kremlin, chafing under Western admonitions to improve its record on democracy and human rights, decided to turn the tables, investing heavily in policy forums, media projects, and PR events designed to acquaint the West with Russia on its own terms. Such projects include a monthly supplement, "Russia Beyond the Headlines," enclosed in the U.S. "Washington Post" daily.
China Is at the Heart of Clinton’s First Trip
Clinton and other Obama administration officials have made it clear that they want to move dramatically forward in relations with Beijing, finding new avenues for cooperation between the world's biggest economy and the world's fastest-growing economy, especially on climate change and the environment.
Minister’s Wife Takes France 24 Lead
Fully state-funded and mostly broadcasting outside France, France 24 has not come under the auspices of the Foreign Affairs Ministry for a few months. That Ministry is headed by Christine Ockrent’s husband Bernard Kouchner. The channel is now included in the Prime Minister’s affairs. This point makes the difference in the point of view of French government to sweep aside any objection about an eventual conflict of interest.
Eastern Partnership: West’s Final Assault On Former Soviet Union
"[T]he Partnership would demonstrate the 'power of soft power' and acknowledge that the conflict in Georgia in August had influenced the decision to launch the Partnership." (PanArmenian.net, December 11, 2008). The Eastern Partnership was first proposed in May of 2008 as mentioned earlier, but the impetus to endorse it at a meeting of leaders last December was the 'soft power' response by the EU to complement NATO's establishment of the NATO-Georgia Commission a month after Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia triggered last summer's Caucasus war.
Foreign Policy’s “Smart Power” Gives Science Diplomacy a New Role
In July 2008, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an international nonprofit scientific organization based in Washington, announced the establishment of the Center for Science Diplomacy. The center works with the science and foreign policy communities to communicate the value of science diplomacy and identify collaborative projects that could help strengthen civil society relationships among nations, especially when official relations are strained or do not exist.
Clinton’s Heading in the Right Direction—Asia
One of the many lessons learned from the Bush administration is that military force alone is insufficient to counter terrorists and their radical ideology. Clinton's decision to go to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, underscores how serious Obama is about enhancing U.S. public diplomacy and outreach efforts in the Muslim world. This may prove to be the most significant leg of Clinton's journey, as she attempts to orchestrate a major shift in the United States' overall approach to the war on terrorism.
How Obama Plays, or Gets Played, Abroad
We’re about to find out what the Obama Factor is worth around the world. The Factor is all the good will, popular support and considerable charm that Barack Obama brought to the Oval Office nearly four weeks ago. At home, it’s still potent. But abroad, it’s questionable how far Mr. Obama can travel on promises to act as the anti-Bush, to use diplomacy and “smart power” before blunt force.
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