Hallyu or the Korean Wave, which refers to the fast-growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture through TV dramas, movies, pop music and food around the world, particularly in Japan, China and Southeast Asia, could be a valuable soft-power asset to improve better understanding of Korea and its national brand value.

The Internet has become an ambassador for American soft power abroad through brands like Apple and Google, but policymakers need to appreciate that it is just a medium and not a panacea for competitiveness in the long term. The challenge for the United States is to think anew about products and their distinctiveness.

China’s Confucius Institutes around the world are about spreading appreciation for Chinese culture and language, not news about political fault lines in China. Since the Confucius Institute project started seven years ago, some 300 have opened around the globe – 21 in Africa.

In its never-ending efforts to be hip, the U.S. State Department last week launched a new Web site called “Discover Diplomacy.” It has video clips, it has audio tracks, it has interactive maps and images—it has it all. Possibly due to the difficulty of getting foreigners to listen these days...the State Department has decided to reach out to its domestic constituency.

APDS Blogger: Jerry Edling

In addition to public diplomacy, the U.S. government should continue to support the development of software that may make it easier for citizens of countries with repressive regimes to access the Internet without fear of surveillance.

All were charged with giving “a right direction to public sentiment” by making himself acquainted with the leading men of the national press. Today we would call this “public diplomacy,” though, of necessity, they operated largely in secret.

During the past three decades China has made great advances in public diplomacy and it is emerging as a vital tool for the country... But the financial crisis in Europe and the United States means there is a need for urgency in boosting China's public diplomacy.