Sister cities since 1979, Shanghai and Milan share not only strong cultural and artistic traditions but are also their country's economic and financial hearts. For more than 30 years, this relationship has facilitated cultural exchange, served as a platform to share best practices and build stronger economic links.

Chinese President Hu Jintao's official visit to Ottawa on Wednesday is seen here as the next step — but not necessarily the final one — in restoring normalcy to Sino-Canadian relations...As its economic clout soars so far ahead of its political weight in the world, China professes to be aiming for "peaceful development internationally," and says it wants to pursue "soft power" initiatives to strengthen its global presence.

Let's not get misty-eyed about a new age of Sino-American cooperation here. The Chinese moved on their currency as much for their own inflation-fighting self-interest as out of any concern for U.S. wishes, and they are moving slowly in any case. And one can argue that the Chinese did the minimum necessary, and belatedly, on Iran sanctions.

The agreement was signed between Zaobao.com, the online version of Lianhe Zaobao, the leading Chinese daily in Singapore, and Shanda Literature Singapore(SDL), the leader of China's online literature. The literary site will allow Singaporean readers to have free access into Shanda's online Chinese literature.

When Sunil Mittal, the 52-year-old chairman of Bharti Enterprises, recently announced the Indian mobile company's successful acquisition of Kuwait-based Zain's African operations, he flagged off the next stage in the so-called “race for Africa” between India and China.

While the absence of the Chinese soccer team in the 2010 South Africa World Cup disappoints local fans, made-in- China products are ubiquitous at the quadrennial gala, which also sees its first Chinese sponsor this year.

The Shanghai World Expo is "a perfect opportunity to build on and further strengthen the good relations" between the European Union and China, an EU official said Thursday. "The European Union is China's main economic partner and we have built a strategic partnership with the Chinese government over the years," Viviane Reding, vice president of the EU Commission, told Xinhua in an interview.

As the world's largest democracy, with a vibrant press and thriving entertainment industry, India has huge soft power advantages over China and its state-controlled media. The implication is India can take advantage of that goodwill as Asia's two giants battle for influence in the region and around the world.