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.

Children Around the World Just Love Beijing's Trade Policies

Online clips —both geared for external and domestic consumption — has become a popular means for China to promote its policies and its perspective on issues, as part of its still fledgling, and often ham-fisted, soft power. Previous attempts have included aggressively nationalistic rap and cute, catchy tunes about its five-year plan.

Tags: china, propaganda, international broadcasting, beijing, one belt one road, globalization, Digital Diplomacy & New Technology

Digitizing Palestinian Public Diplomacy

Any peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will require dialogue, mutual trust, and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. The "Palestine in Hebrew" Facebook channel demonstrates that the Palestinian government in the West Bank is attempting to foster such dialogue and understating with Israeli citizens. While the profile is but one element in a larger Palestinian outreach initiative, it exemplifies how digital tools, and social media, can be used by governments to overcome the limitations of traditional diplomacy and practice public diplomacy. 

Tags: Digital Diplomacy & New Technology, palestine, middle east, israel, facebook, social media, iran, israel-palestine conflict

Soccer Diplomacy for North Korea?

Recent news from North Korea has focused on missile launches and nuclear tests. But when it comes to diplomacy, there may be a lesson from history – and sports. Asia Pacific Management consultant Ray Tsuchiyama shares some thoughts in this commentary. [...] Sports makes friends.  Like 1971’s Ping-Pong diplomacy, let’s give soccer a chance to create a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula.

Tags: soccer diplomacy, north korea, sports diplomacy, Opinion, china, united states, people-to-people exchange

Finland's Foreign Policy Includes Adorable Arctic Emojis

Using emojis to help shape the nation's image is a playful, but not frivolous approach to foreign policy. Finland is a highly educated country where tech is an important industry. The selection of emojis appears to be a way to highlight Finland's values and Arctic presence, while also demonstrating its tech expertise.

Tags: finland, Nation Image, arctic, emojis, foreign policy, soft power, Digital Diplomacy & New Technology

Africa: Delegates Arrive for Transform Africa Meet

The third Transform Africa Summit Transform Africa Summit opens today today at the Kigali Convection Centre, attracting about 3,000 delegates. [...] This year's summit's focus is on 'smart cities' with an aim to ensure African capitals embrace technology to effectively deliver services.

Tags: africa, transform africa, ict, rwanda, sustainable development, smart power, new technology

Russia's Cyber Warfare is Grabbing Attention but Missing its Target

In addition to formal public diplomacy mouthpieces like Russia Today and Sputnik, Russia employs armies of paid trolls and botnets to generate false information that can later be circulated and legitimated as if it were true. Then, in 2016, Russian military intelligence went a step further, by hacking into the private network of the Democratic National Committee, stealing information, and releasing it online to damage Hillary Clinton’s presidential candidacy. 

Tags: russia, cyber warfare, information warfare, non-state actors, cyber technology, finland, russia today, international broadcasting, sputnik, trolls

South Korea's Moon Jae-in Willing to Visit North Korea

Speaking during his formal oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday, Moon pledged to work for peace on the Korean Peninsula amid growing worry over the North's expanding nuclear weapons and missiles programme. "I am willing to go anywhere for the peace of the Korean Peninsula," Moon said. "If needed, I will fly immediately to Washington. I will go to Beijing and I will go to Tokyo. If the conditions shape up, I will go to Pyongyang."

Tags: south korea, moon jae-in, north korea, THAAD, asia, china, kim jong-un, peace, korean peninsula, soft power

Karnataka Government Flies into Airlines Diplomacy to Attract More Footfall

The Karnataka government has decided to intercede in the state's airlines business by asking more countries to operate direct flights to Bengaluru. [...] According to the minister, the state has already approached few nations like Australia, Israel and Japan which have consulates in the city for the purpose of pushing their national carriers and private airlines to operate direct routes.

Tags: tourism, airline diplomacy, karnataka, sister city, bengaluru, airline business, india, soft lobbying

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