Although the Chinese government has invested heavily in promoting the spread of Chinese culture overseas, some art groups do not agree with the funding behavior. They say the best way to successfully introduce China's cultural products into mainstream Western society is through commercial channels.

Through such platforms as overseas visits by Chinese leaders, receiving visits to China by foreign leaders, the Beijing Olympic Games and Shanghai World Expo, we engaged in dynamic public and cultural diplomacy...and showed to the rest of the world a China that is culturally-advanced, democratic, open and making continuous progress.

"Deepening cultural exchanges with foreign countries, and promoting Chinese and foreign cultures to learn from each other" has been listed as one of the major tasks of the Chinese government in 2012, says the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the opening ceremony of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

At the New York Film Festival, three instant classics of engagé cinema -- one from Egypt and two from Iran (including BFF Oscar-winner A Separation) -- quite stunningly took on the weight of history. From the confines of house arrest, through a divorce drama, to the living, breathing expanse of the literal Arab street, engagé cinema is most hearteningly alive and well.

The Chinese Culture Year, which ran from Oct. 7, 2010 to Jan. 14, was a very important cultural exchange event in the time since the two countries established ties more than 40 years ago, the Chinese ambassador to Italy said. "The event has a profound impact on the Italian people and laid a solid foundation for the healthy development of bilateral ties."

China is planning to open more Confucius Institutes to teach traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) overseas in order to promote this age-old medical science, deemed the essence of Chinese culture, said Vice Minister of Health Wang Guoqiang...The Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions for promoting Chinese language and culture in foreign countries.

There are so many stigmas attached to Israel at the moment. Without making this blog sound at all like a propaganda-fuelled promo piece for the nation, I was delighted to find out that Tel Aviv is nothing like most foreigners expect it to be.

In Japan, by contrast, there is little recognition of the importance of cultural diplomacy. This is clear from recent public discussions on the subject. Why is it that so many Japanese seem unable to grasp the value of using cultural power in foreign policy?