From June 15-23 cinematic movers and shakers from the world over are descending on Shanghai for the SIFF, now in its 16th year. And as the three Monkey King-themed choppers suggest, Chinese cinema is proudly showing the world what it’s got. As China’s only A-category international film festival accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), in many ways SIFF is the nation’s ultimate soft power fest.

Mysterious China has been an important power both in ancient period and today’s world with global reach. Genesis of its mystery belongs to its great civilization and culture which was a model to copy by neighboring East Asian states in past times, added by its inventions of paper, gun powder and compass.

Beijing has unveiled a basket of initiatives to deepen economic, cultural and social exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, following a high-profile meeting last week between President Xi Jinping and Wu Poh-hsiung, the honorary chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang.

The festival's incorporation into the forum - held in the provience's Xiamen city - highlights cultural ties between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, according to organizers. The forum opened on June 15 and will last through Friday.

Answering the question of whether China exerts soft power in the world depends heavily on the point of view of the critic, according to Trefor Moss in The Diplomat: “China has little attractive power – in the West. But then not everyone is watching China through Western eyes,” he writes.

There are more than a few complaints made by Chinese tourists who visit South Korea: There is nothing to buy but cosmetics, no diversity in cuisine at restaurants and no unique sightseeing spots away from the all-too-familiar historical and scenic sites. Nonetheless, Chinese tourists who recently return from South Korea never fail to gush about one common observation: "Oh, the country is so clean!"

Taiwan and China have reached initial consensus on the exchange of representative offices after two rounds of informal consultations and three rounds of formal talks since early April, according to local media reports.

China will almost certainly pass the United States in the total size of its economy within a decade or so. But if one looks also at military and "soft power" resources, the United States is likely to remain more powerful than China for at least the next few decades. Does it matter?