The 2010 Shanghai World Expo opened on Friday night, attracting the attention of the world and international participation and earning heartfelt congratulations. Some 20 world leaders attended the opening ceremony and toured the Expo, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.

It is true that China’s hosting of the event, especially on the heels of the spectacular Summer Olympics two years ago, sends an unmistakable signal of the country’s return to global prominence. Nonetheless, the Expo is also a grand stage where, over the next six months, nearly 200 participant countries will be courting and engaging the Chinese public.

To characterize the Shanghai Expo as mainly China’s showcasing of its soft power misses an important point.

APDS Blogger: Chen Chen

WORLD Expo 2010 Shanghai China is about to unfurl its wonders. Following the success of the Beijing Olympic Games, our nation will present the world with another successful, exciting and unforgettable event. This World Expo will be a golden opportunity for China to show itself to the world to the fullest extent and for the rest of the world to better understand China.

Despite widespread talk of a rising China and a declining America, the latest BBC World Service poll shows not just strong residual American soft power but actually an increase. At the same time, the numbers depict a China whose influence is viewed as more negative than positive in a growing number of countries.

While China practices harsh media control at home, it has embarked on a major campaign abroad to present itself as a modernizing and open nation.

China is likely to stake out a position between the big nuclear weapons states and the non-nuclear-armed countries at an international conference next month, a prominent Swedish think tank said on Monday.