China is extending its so-called panda diplomacy agreement with the United States, letting giant pandas stay at the Washington national zoo for another five years, a Chinese conservation official said on Wednesday.

Wang Yi, minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Tuesday the mainland and Taiwan should seize the opportunity to set up a systematic mechanism for cultural and educational exchanges.

Moviegoers in Jakarta will be treated to a taste of Australian cinema at the city’s first film festival of 2011, kicking off next week. Building on the success of the Australian Indigenous Cultural Festival in 2009, the Australian embassy will host “Australia on Screen 2011” at the Blitzmegaplex theater in Jakarta’s Grand Indonesia mall.

Today, the first lady Michelle Obama will speak about the initiative to increase the number of American students studying abroad in China. It is specifically designed to train students and the next generation of professionals on how to orchestrate and communicate in U.S.-China relations in the future decades.

The production is in Russian with no English subtitles — but that’s the point. “We wanted to bring something bright to the Russian community in New York,” said promoter Anton Krylov. “The musical is for families that don’t want to lose their cultural ties.

Brazil's World Cup football stars are among players from the five-time world champion nation that have been approached and shown interest in visiting Kenya in March to launch a trade and cultural exchange between the two countries. Cafu, Brazil's most-capped player and a double World Cup winner, and Junior Baiano could be guests at the March 22-26 First Brazil in Eastern Africa Expo that will highlight several aspects of Brazilian trade, commerce, culture and sport.

The UAE's literature stock is due to increase by more than 7,000 titles, on what is slated as the world's largest floating book fair, when the Logos Hope ship docks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi next week.