May-June 2011: The View from CPD

China is increasingly to be found at the center of discussions about public diplomacy.  Its Confucius Institutes and heavy investments in international broadcasting attract global attention. Not to be overlooked is its role as a producer and consumer of movies. 

Chinese cinema has attracted critics’ praise and audience loyalty.  As is the case with India, Nigeria, and many other countries – including the United States – film is one way China defines itself to the rest of the world.  With its huge population, China also provides an irresistible market for other nations’ films, ranging from wild action movies to those featuring animated pandas (in 3-D).

We are delighted that Stanley Rosen brings his vast knowledge of the Chinese film industry to this issue of PDiN Monitor to examine the many facets of film production and viewership in China.  And to provide context for this analysis of the diplomatic role of a traditional media form, we also offer Maya Babla’s observations on the place of a relative media newcomer, Facebook, as a diplomatic tool.