Public diplomacy is a key pillar of a country’s foreign policy toolkit. (...) Indonesian leaders have tended to focus their attention on other foreign political elites through foreign policy initiatives like the Bali Democracy Forum and interfaith dialogues rather than promote cultural diplomacy.

As China grapples with the question of how it can strengthen the rule of law, it might be interesting to consider the rule of law's soft power dividends.  Rule of law refers to a condition where law prevails in the governance of a country and where no one is above the law.

For years, mainland China has thrown the big-budget movies of its most-heralded directors into the Oscars' foreign-language film race. (...) This season, China is trying something different — very different. It has selected a film directed by a Frenchman as its foreign-language candidate. 

The judgment will be analysed and cited extensively. It will be held up as a model for courts in other countries to follow when interpreting their own international law commitments. Through such citation and examination, the court’s influence will be spread and its values promoted, demonstrating the persuasive nature of soft power and of how we might realise Mandela’s ideal of making human rights the light that guides our foreign affairs.

Douglas McGray used the idea of soft power to describe the "Cool Japan" phenomenon. Cool Japan has become a program supported by the Japanese government and various companies that promotes modern Japanese culture such as anime and manga abroad.

In calling for a new type of Chinese think tank, President Xi Jinping wants institutions that can compete with American ones in spreading soft power abroad and help refine policies at home, analysts say.

Iriana Widodo is our latest First Lady and since last Monday she began her new era as the Ibu Negara of the world’s third largest democracy. People say behind each great president, there is a great first lady – and behind her is a great team.