For China, the quest to develop advanced computing centers is not simply a matter of national pride. It is an attempt to lay the groundwork for innovative Chinese companies and to reshape the technological landscape by doing something more than assembling the world’s desktop PCs.

Former Chinese basketball star and NBA player Yao Ming is named vice-chairman of Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association on Monday. As the association's "Honor Ambassador", Yao accepts he will do some "tangible work" to introduce his home city to more people by sharing his eight-year experience of living in the U.S.

China is emerging as the key deal-maker or deal-breaker as the UN climate talks head into ministerial discussions. If the EU and China can find a way forward, some observers here believe a package can be constructed that will satisfy the majority of participants.

The move is an extension of the Bank of China's 2010 credit program with Hengdian film park, regarded as "China's Hollywood," and has been labelled another important step in financial institutions nurturing China's cultural industry.

Li Changchun praised CRI's 70 years of service in a congratulation letter, urging the station to build a world first-rate broadcaster with increasing global influence. Li urged CRI to create favorable international opinions about China and constantly boost China's soft power by further enhancing its news coverage.

Diplomacy needs to be backed by strength, but the US has plenty without militarizing Asia and the Pacific more than it already has. The peaceful resolution of these conflicts depends upon China having a role in the decision-making process, but this will require the US to step back and forego its desire for primacy in the region. And it will require the same of China.

That India has woken up to the geopolitical and soft-power benefits of boosting its profile in the Buddhist world—in particular, the Buddhist countries in the India-China neighbourhood—is evident from the energies it expended on the conference [of Buddhist leaders].

As far as dramatic timing goes, the text message from the powers that be announcing the sudden cancellation of a post-performance discussion of “Top Secret: Battle for the Pentagon Papers” was, well, perfectly timed.