Social media is changing "business as usual" for governments, opening up democratic processes, delivering services both to understand and surveil constituents, managing threats and conducting direct diplomacy. Even so, adoption of social media is slow and uneven, with vast differences both between and within states. As more and more governments move towards e-government, their use of social media will grow. 

As the dust settles after the 2nd annual World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, media commentary outside of China has largely focused on President Xi Jinping’s opening statements about “cybersovereignty,” with scholars focusing on the suppressive censorship tactics that this policy is oft seen to represent in China’s domestic cyberspace.

Closer economic ties will top the agenda during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visits to Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia this week. However, Chinese mediation in the feud between Tehran and Riyadh is unlikely, say experts.

Global perceptions of China are largely shaped by stereotypes. They are flawed and perpetuated by a Western-dominated media, [...] The conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group’s purchase of a majority stake in Hollywood production firm Legendary Entertainment is set to change that. There is no better medium than film to teach others about history, culture and the ways and thinking of a nation.

At a time when India is confronted with growing negative sentiments in Nepal, China has been reaping a good harvest of positive perceptions. [...] Other than soft power, China has used its economic diplomacy to project itself as a non-interfering neighbour by welcoming the new constitution of Nepal. 

How can the EU and China forge closer ties and respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead? One way is best captured by the concept of network diplomacy. In other words, managing EU-China relations is about widening and broadening the policy agenda, integrating a wider array of actors, and developing more channels of communication.