Several years ago I organized a conference designed to encourage those involved in the work of cultural diplomacy – policy makers, practitioners and cultural producers, public diplomacy officers, and academics; who too seldom talk to one another ...participants were asked to address what they took “culture” to mean in this context in the first place and to characterize its efficacy: what did they imagine “culture” does as part of the work of diplomacy?

The coming visit of Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping is expected to provide an opportunity to further promote public diplomacy between the two countries. Xi is visiting the United States at the invitation of Vice-President Joe Biden, starting from Feb 13 to 17.

In partnership with the Chinese embassy in the United States, the WAE brought the "Colorful China," a cultural exchange program that made its debut in the United States in October 2010, back here again last November with a showcase of exquisite costumes, dances, music and rich fabric of Chinese ethnic groups.

Brussels has welcomed Beijing's strategy to boost its soft power by spreading its colorful cultures across globe after years of economic success, said a top European Union (EU) culture official....European Commission's Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said culture plays an important part in achieving Beijing's aspiration of gaining more global influence and sharpening its soft power.

...Celebration of US-China Friendship...in Atlanta, Georgia. The show, co-sponsored by the Chinese Consulate General in Houston and the city of Atlanta, "is a wonderful example of the cultural and people-to-people exchanges necessary to build closer ties between the Chinese and American people," Carter said.

Since the start of the 21st century, using pandas as a diplomatic tool has become increasingly passé, according to Woo. China now uses other forms of soft power to export its culture and influence abroad.

Casa Arabe (Albeit Arabi). It is a public Spanish institution created by Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as it is widely believed the importance of having good relation between Spain and Arab countries. We are working from Madrid to Gortoba. We focus on the tool of foreign affairs public diplomacy as the main means of access to Arab countries.

Hu said the two sides should expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and use the occasion of celebrating the 40th anniversary of normalizing ties to develop a long-term plan for exchanges in the areas of youth, young cadres, culture, tourism, media and local governments so as to improve mutual understanding and friendly feelings between the two peoples.