Talking to a Chinese taxi driver is always interesting as they know what is rotten in the Middle Kingdom and speak up candidly. Sometimes these conversations are also interesting for students of public diplomacy, especially when concerned with the image and impression of a country.

Talking to a Chinese taxi driver is always interesting as they know what is rotten in the Middle Kingdom and speak up candidly. Sometimes these conversations are also interesting for students of public diplomacy, especially when concerned with the image and impression of a country.

CPD's Director, Philip Seib, took part in “Room for Debate" the online forum in The New York Times’. The theme was "Judging Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State."

China has been trying to integrate with the world through a modest and self-disciplining approach rather than be disregardful and aggressive. Concepts such as equal communication and putting aside minor differences so as to seek common ground, which are lacking in US soft power theories, are exactly the allure of China's soft power.

Increasingly noisy nationalist movements in both countries seem to consider the other country their ancient enemy, with citizens leading sometimes violent anti-Japanese or anti-Chinese protests and national leaders, including the heads of state, promoting confrontation over diplomacy.

Amid her travels around the world, Clinton always made time for town hall-style meetings where she could directly engage with the public. She recognized that such events were essential because these people had formed and discussed opinions about the United States by connecting with the larger world.

While a large number of self-financing students come to India every year, experts blame poor diplomacy of high commissions abroad who are entrusted with popularising the scholarship schemes in their respective countries through media and educational bodies. “Bureaucratic approach of our embassies and lack of transparency in the selection process deters common student to apply for these scholarships,” said an office of Indian Foreign Service.

For many Russians, the notion of soft power was once something of an oxymoron, like icy fire. Yet, watching the success of the US and the EU in getting others to want what the Americans and Europeans have to offer, they changed their minds and even sought to imitate their competitors' performance. Now, enhancing Russia's soft power is one of the tasks the Kremlin has given to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, a special agency for international cooperation has been created with the specific mission of reaching that goal.