The escalating tension is not only increasing the chances of conflict, it is also leading to a hemorrhage of any "soft power" that China previously possessed in the region. Regardless of the intentions of the U.S., it would be wise for Chinese officials to preserve and, if possible, rebuild any form of "soft power" that it can in the Asia Pacific region.

The result, as one Japanese analyst put it, was that “China scored an own goal,” immediately reversing what had been a favourable trend in bilateral relations under the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. More generally, while China spends billions of yuan in efforts to increase its soft power in Asia, its behaviour in the South China Sea contradicts its own message

In my opinion, Russia is relatively on a par with its major geopolitical rivals, as far as "hard power" is concerned: we have the military, resources and economic power. As for "soft power", unfortunately, I believe this parity has been significantly impaired. Sadly, Russia’s reputation and image in the world is much worse than the real situation in the country.

The purpose of the video contest was for the world to tell the story of India's soft power, as they saw it. The video challenge aimed to allow individuals from different cultures and backgrounds to express their creativity, understanding and display their artistic prowess on subjects that really define our nation.

“The best way to advance America's interests in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions. ...We must use what has been called ‘smart power,’ the full range of tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal and cultural -- picking the right tool or combination of tools for each situation."

As China plays an increasingly significant role in the world, its soft power must be attractive both domestically as well as internationally...The Western model has not been able to decisively address these issues; the China model therefore brings hope that we can make progress in conquering these dilemmas.

India's soft power remains its biggest strength in being a global leader but strict visa rules has dented the country's image abroad, writes former Union minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor in his new book. "Today's India truly enjoys soft power, and that may well be the most valuable way in which it can offer leadership to the twenty-first-century world."

China and the United States are dialing down their rhetorical broadsides over greater U.S. military and economic influence in Asia ahead of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Beijing Tuesday...Cui said China is ready to work with other countries, but “it will not mean that China will have to change its foreign aid policy.”