Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to support Myanmar’s peace process Friday as he met with the country’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in Beijing ahead of historic talks with armed groups near the countries’ troubled border.

Last week, days after The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration awarded the Philippines a victory in its case against China in the dispute over rights to the South China Sea, Beijing began a massive public relations campaign to press its position. Part of China’s campaign includes shoring up international support to denounce the ruling and approaching other nations to voice their backing for Beijing.

China has also developed strong cultural linkages with Nigeria, through student exchange programs and media proliferation. This successful soft power campaign provides an effective model for Chinese policymakers to follow in their attempts to strengthen Beijing’s alliances with other African countries.

Acting under directives from the central government, China's propaganda department is co-ordinating a global effort to step up its soft power outreach commensurate with its economic and political stature in the world, spending $US6.8 billion ($9.1 billion) a year to run and expand the international reach of official state-run media including Xinhua, CCTV, China Radio International and the China Daily.

The China Internet Information Centre and the Southern Media Corporation has announced the 1st Golden Bauhinia International New Media Film Festival (GBINMFF) at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing. According to PRNewswire, GBINMFF aims to promote innovation in terms of content, production, delivery and distribution from "All Ages, All Cultures & All Media" amid the Internet era; and to establish a healthy eco-system for new media sectors to cultivate new talents and premium productions.

To date, the most effective counterbalance or check to Beijing’s campaign of tailored coercion in the East China and South China seas is the U.S. “rebalance to Asia” — an amalgamation of integrated soft and hard deterrent powers (multilateral diplomacy, economic integration and military presence) to reassure allies and partners; demonstrate resolve and commitment; and enhance force posture, capabilities, and readiness.

"The central aim of the forum will be to implement the agreements reached at the FOCAC Summit in Johannesburg and further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa on media related matters," said Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) acting Director General, Donald Liphoko, on his arrival in Beijing, on Monday.

Such initiatives are a hallmark of British cultural diplomacy, said Edwards. He also added that the consulate is in the midst of seeking partnerships on several creative projects. One such partnership project coming later in the year to Shanghai is a traditional Chinese Kunqu opera version of “Macbeth.”