The skyline of this city -- what little there is of it -- is a Chinese creation...These highly visible investments, increasingly unavoidable across Africa, are designed to buy influence with governments.

Since 2008, discussions among Chinese scholars and strategists on the nature of their country’s foreign policy have focused on two issues: its ideological foundations, and China’s international appeal and standing – its “soft power.”

Over the past decade, China’s economic and military might have grown impressively. But that has frightened its neighbors into looking for allies to balance rising Chinese hard power.

“Soft Power” has become more and more apparent. Through Hollywood movies, America exports its culture and ideology to every corner of our planet, making the western culture continue to be the mainstream culture of the world.

Over the past two years, in a departure from the policy of reassurance it adopted in the late 1990s, China has managed to damage relations with most of its neighbors and with the United States. Mistrust of Beijing throughout the region and in Washington is palpable.

For Beijing youth Pakistan’s National Day Reception is a popular, much anticipated event. It provides them an opportunity to mingle with top diplomats and high officials of the Chinese civil and military bureaucracy and gives them a chance to taste Pakistani cuisine and enjoy Pakistani music and dance.

The theme of World Water Day 2011 is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge." Since I cover water issues for the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, I sometimes talk to people here about my home state, Michigan, which borders the Great Lakes.

Foggy Bottom is flat out denying a British news report on Sunday that said State Department money would be awarded to the BBC to combat Internet censorship around the world. "The BBC World Service is to receive a "significant" sum of money from the US government...