Richard Nixon had his “ping-pong diplomacy” with China. Maybe it’s time for Barack Obama to try a little “Oscar diplomacy” with Iran...Who knows? If a process of change can begin with a ping-pong paddle, maybe it can also begin with a golden statuette.

Taiwan and Japan plan to launch a joint rail tourism campaign next month as part of expanding links between the two countries since a massive earthquake struck Japan in March last year. In the campaign, dubbed “sister trains,” Taiwan’s CK124 steam engine and a similar Japanese train will be used to promote railway travel in both countries.

Arirang TV, an English-language network based in Seoul, is revamping its news and entertainment programs, in hopes of promoting Korea and its culture to a wider international audience. “In Korea, K-culture, which goes beyond K-pop, accounts for a huge part of its nation branding. Our program revamp this time is focusing on those two trends, K-culture and nation branding.”

“We have always believed in cricket diplomacy and there is a harmony in cultures of both the countries. We both are good at cricket and people on both sides love the game. People in Pakistan are bound by cricket and we need that unity at the moment.”

...One such effort is introduction of short films and documentaries made by the External Affairs Ministry. Such films and documentaries produced by the MEA's public diplomacy division will now be shown on Air India flights. This could be an alternative for the travelers who might want to switch over from Bollywood and Hollywood films.

Through trade, investment, educational exchanges and other outlets, the United States and China have dramatically increased their ties. Many experts believe these cross-cultural exchanges can foster mutual understanding between the two peoples in a way that is as effective as or sometimes even more effective than professional politics.

Mandarin language assistants, entering New Zealand under the free trade agreement with China, have arrived to help the Beijing-backed Confucius Institute spread the word in Mandarin. The University of Auckland-based institute has set a target of having 50,000 Kiwis learning the language annually.

While the latest aircraft carrier movements and military maneuvers here are chronicled closely in U.S. media, significant public diplomacy initiatives go largely unreported. This past week provided a prime example: For his first-ever visit, Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong led a 500-person delegation including party officials, business leaders and Chinese celebrities.