While U.S. public diplomacy since September 11, 2001, has focused on countering terrorism and the radicalization of the Muslim world, a job increasingly supervised by the Pentagon, China has been moving ahead methodically with its own ambitious global agenda.

The University of Dubai (UD), a prestigious university in the UAE established by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed an agreement with Confucius Institute Headquarters of China to establish the Confucius Institute at UD. The accord aims to strengthen educational cooperation between China and United Arab Emirates, support and promote the development of Chinese language education and increase mutual understanding between China and UAE.

More recently, Taiwan is trying to expand on its reputation and gastro-brand through an initiative to promote Taiwan through enhanced culinary diplomacy.Gastrodiplomacy is predicated on the notion that the easiest path to winning hearts and minds is found through stomachs.

Over 40 million people are learning the Chinese language and interest keeps growing as Beijing’s international influence expands world wide according to Xu Lin, Director of the Institute to promote the language overseas and head of the Confucius Institute.

What happened to China's much vaunted "soft power" and "good neighborly" diplomacy about which we have heard so much in recent years? China's supposed "soft power," always overstated, has passed from the scene in short order.

While U.S. public diplomacy since September 11, 2001, has focused on countering terrorism and the radicalization of the Muslim world, China has been moving ahead, taking a page out of the U.S. playbook. Aiming to promote their model of governance, the Chinese have invested heavily in public diplomacy.

These videos are part of the series CPD Video Conversations: National Branding at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. and the Shanghai Media Group Tuesday signed a long-term agreement that will see the two broadcasters' international channels share programming and news and provides for potential future co-productions.