Without the sex, gore and contemporary politics Beijing's censors deplore, animation is family-oriented and easily redubbed, making it safe and both importable and exportable, and thus likely to lead the charge in a trans-Pacific race for soft power – one that Hollywood's currently leading.

...with a few high-profile exceptions, its films have not made an impact on the world stage and are struggling to take on the challenges of Hollywood productions at home....It is a matter of concern for China, which is becoming more assertive in its attempts to export its own view of the world, having seen the "soft power" prowess of US films and television shows.

The move is an extension of the Bank of China's 2010 credit program with Hengdian film park, regarded as "China's Hollywood," and has been labelled another important step in financial institutions nurturing China's cultural industry.

Cultural diplomacy has become the fourth fundamental pillar of Philippine foreign policy, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Grace Relucio Princesa said. Princesa mentioned this new addition to the three existing fundamental pillars at a press conference in Dubai on Friday, kicking off the first Philippine Film Festival in the UAE — “Our Films, Our Culture.”

Chinese animation can act as a vanguard for the export of Chinese culture, said Leng Song, general secretary of the world media research center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Animation is rarely affected by cultural barriers and can be easily understood and accepted by the general public, Leng said.

Movies can reflect a nation’s culture and showcase its soft power. For the past few years, Taiwanese movies have been making a splash at international film festivals and have helped introduce Taiwan’s many movie talents to the world.

More funds to boast film production activities in Nigeria are underway... the Nigerian motion industry has demonstrated its ability to play critical role in the global economy, with its great potential as a tool for empowerment, cultural growth and international diplomacy.

The latest issue of PDiN Monitor delves into the concept of Film Diplomacy in China.