Revelations that Labor senator Sam Dastyari benefited from the largesse of Chinese benefactors have prompted several Australian journalists to draw attention to the problematic prospect of Chinese influence in Australia. [...] While important stories, these are not examples of soft power. Soft power is something different and the difference is important. Understanding it helps us analyse China’s attempts at influence.

The comfort women deal has been largely heralded by numerous experts as an example of successful diplomacy, but its success actually depends on how Park can reconcile disagreements within Korean society and effectively implement the deal.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is in Delhi for talks, his second visit since he attended the India-Africa conference last October. In an e-mail interview to The Hindu’s Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar, he speaks of cooperating with India on regional challenges from terror, indicating a shift from the critical line adopted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

On 18 August 2016, The ASEAN Committee in Oslo, ACO, jointly organized the event “ASEAN Cultural Night 2016” at Gamle Logan, Oslo. The purpose of the event was to promote and raise awareness about the ASEAN Community as well as each member country to those invited guests representing various sectors in Norway as well as diplomatic corps.

The government today has made a shocking announcement which has an immense impact on India’s foreign policy. The All India Radio which runs numerous regional language channels is all set to air a Balochi language programme which can be heard by the Baloch people living in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. 

China has been pursuing an aggressive 'public diplomacy' in Pakistan since early days of its bilateral relations with the latter. Policy of 'public diplomacy' is being pursued by China essentially to seek its national interests by influencing Pakistani people through government sponsored cultural and academic programmes and regular interaction with Pakistani youth by encouraging them to learn Chinese (Mandarin) language.

Turkey is a friend of China and a prominent country in the Middle East. [...] Chinese Deputy FM Zhang Ming visited Turkey shortly after the coup attempt, and he exchanged views with Turkish officials on the current situation of Turkey and the region along with bilateral relations between China and Turkey. This demonstrates China's emphasis on Turkish relations and friendship towards the Turkish people.

On August 26, the "Sensing China-Travel to Kazakhstan" exhibition formally opened at Kazakhstan National University in the nation's largest city Almaty. [...] the exhibition will last for six days and features a photo exhibition and tourism promotion, a "Created in China" economics and trade fair, the "establishing China" pavilion, the China intangible cultural heritage exhibition, and media visits between China and Kazakhstan.