Along with global initiatives such as development aid and promoting the Chinese language, these scholarships are not simply academic awards but part of a larger strategy by China to cultivate friends abroad and grow its soft power to match its burgeoning military and economic strength.

After reaching a sweeping trade agreement, Taiwan and China face the challenge of persuading the island's 23 million people that Beijing has no ulterior political motives, analysts said.

However, Google said that the subtle change - where users have to actively click on a link to access unfiltered search results rather than being automatically redirected - was "consistent" with its approach not to self-censor search results and was hopeful it would allow it to continue operating in China.

A 30-second TV commercial promoting the "Made-in-China" brand will be aired across most regions in Europe, Asia and Oceania via the BBC World News from Monday through to Aug.8, one of the ad campaign's designers told Xinhua Tuesday.

While for many the idea of Indian cinema conjures up the colorful costumes and dance numbers of Bollywood, an Indian film festival launched Friday in Beijing hopes to reveal the diversity of Indian cinema by selecting multi-language films, produced in several different regions of India.

For those Europeans concerned with China's growing prowess, here is another reason to be alert. The Chinese are about to cross the Danube. Not with tanks or communist propaganda, but with cash and a charm offensive.

The mere mention of India as a great power usually evokes chuckles from an Australian audience. Although loathe to admit it, New Delhi would do well to learn lessons from Beijing about the importance of selling its strengths and achievements to the world.