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.

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.

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.

Education officials from China and the directors of Confucius Institutes in the Ibero-American countries have opened a conference to consider ways of boosting the overseas teaching of the Chinese language.

Since 2004, Confucius Institutes have spread around the world, with almost 300 now existing in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania, in addition to an online and a radio-based Confucius Institute. Confucius Institutes are a core component of China's soft power strategy, or campaign to increase its influence and accomplish its goals through the appeal of its language and culture.

China's Confucius Institutes have become a public diplomacy phenomenon. Many public diplomacy researchers have been impressed by the rapid spread of Confucius Institutes around the world.

APDS Blogger: Chen Chen