In July last year, President Hu Jintao said public diplomacy would be a key focus of China's foreign affairs policy; his administration elevated the new form of diplomacy to a national strategic level. Soon after that, the country launched a "Made in China" advertising campaign in several international media outlets to boost the image of Chinese-made products.

When the Nobel committee selected Liu Xiaobo as the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, the distinction brought unwanted attention to China. For obvious reasons, Beijing did not want the world honoring a man who has dedicated decades to challenging the country's political system. But Beijing, in fact, seems uncomfortable with any kind of attention.

With ample liquidity and sufficient expertise in the construction sector, Chinese companies – especially state-owned enterprises – are keen not only to satisfy African countries' need for development, but also to exercise China's 'soft power' on the world stage.

In the realm of international broadcasting, Radio Taiwan International (RTI) serves as the “voice of Taiwan.” The station is an amalgamation of the “Voice of Free China” service that served as the Republic of China on Taiwan’s international broadcasting arm plus the Central Broadcasting System, which for years broadcast to mainland China.

We all love the idea of Public-Private Partnership in public diplomacy, but always find it easier said than done.  Swedish Pavilion Director Annika Rembe discusses the Swedish approach at the Shanghai Expo.

As China continues to flex its economic muscles, there are rumblings that it could begin to encroach on an all-American commodity: the Hollywood blockbuster.

Amid scant awareness by the public of Chinese prisoner Liu Xiaobo, nearly six out of 10 people polled said the Norwegian Nobel Committee should withdraw the Peace Prize and apologize for the decision to award it to him, a survey has found.