soft power
Much of American public diplomacy, like much of the rest of U.S. foreign policy, is reactive. When a crisis erupts, policymakers respond as best they can to limit the damage. In this social media era, they are often outpaced by those who are better prepared to use new communication tools to deliver their messages.
Last month China’s president Xi Jinping presented his pragmatic vision for China’s arts and creative industries. (...)Whereas his predecessor Hu Jintao saw culture as a means to boost China’s global prestige and soft power, Xi is as concerned with shaping China’s hearts and minds.
While Modi has been raising the country's global profile for a while now with high-profile visits to Japan, the US and, most recently, to Australia, to be followed later with Russia and the UK, so far we have tended to dismiss each one of his visits as more hype than substance.(...)President Barack Obama's acceptance of Modi's invitation to be the guest of honour at the Republic Day parade is possibly the tipping point that separates pure atmospherics from reality.
India has seen extensive economic growth and has strengthened its soft power. But is it doing enough to create a positive global image?
Adopting an "open" foreign policy, which relied on soft power tools such as media, diplomacy, education, culture, sports, tourism, economy and humanitarian aid, Doha's strategy was based on good relations with neighbours, the formation of strategic alliances with major and medium powers and the building of a brand.
In China's Public Diplomacy, Ingrid d'Hooghe, Senior Research Associate at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael) and an expert in East Asia region, analyzes how China's approach to public diplomacy is shaped by the country's political system and culture.
China's new leadership has been following a new pattern of diplomacy that features increasing softer elements and a down-to-earth manner. President Xi Jinping's just-concluded trip to Australia serves as a good example. During the state visit, the two Asia-Pacific giants lifted their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and concluded their nine-year-long bilateral free trade talks.
India's soft power was being driven by its economic growth. But all that crashed after 2008. Almost 85 chairs for India studies were created, new cultural centres conceived and opened. But as budgets did not grow, they took a hit in the last couple of years.