Sending pandas to Japan is a diplomatic way of boosting civil exchanges and building China's soft power said Feng Zhaokui...of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences...China gave a pair of pandas to Japan in 1972 to commemorate the normalization of bilateral relations.

It’s a new twist in the practice of “nation branding,” which has floated ever higher on the radars of governments around the world in recent years. For decades – even before they thought of themselves as brands – nations have sent ambassadors, artists, and academics abroad to be their public face.

“So we are trying to find ways of moving forward in our economic, political and cultural relations,” said del Rosario, who visited Germany early this month. The country’s chief diplomat said Germany is an important trading partner and source of investments of the Philippines...

The Turks are selling pasta to the Italians, educating Papua-New Guineans in their universities, building airports in Egypt...Turkey has not felt and acted like the confident global player it is today since the heyday of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century.

Fresh economic initiatives, supplemented by cultural, educational and humanitarian exchanges, could encourage restraint by North Korea. Despite gunfire and nuclear construction, Pyongyang has continued to support North-South commercial cooperation through the free trade zone...

Pakistan and the United States have maintained a critical strategic partnership...Despite the tense political situations throughout the year, educational and cultural programs have continued in an attempt to bridge the differences through more personal interactions.

Concern about Iran and their Hezbollah proxies' strategic push into the Americas has finally caught the White House's attention...This includes... conducting a full-bore public diplomacy campaign for regional audiences on Iran's intentions and activities in the region and the dangers for their societies therein.

The man responsible for Ukraine's Euro 2012 football championship has said Uefa is doing more than the EU institutions to modernise the country..."I think the image of the Ukrainian police will change during this tournament ... I think Europe will discover Ukraine."