A senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Friday called for the country's educational institutions to strengthen cultivation of international communication capabilities.

The US has been courting India's soft power in the form of Bollywood as part of its plans to help usher in peace in war-torn Afghanistan and also help promote anti-extremism messages among the large Asian diaspora across the globe.

The Taipei International Flora Expo welcomed its two millionth visitor Dec. 15 with a gift of two free flight tickets and a VIP pass for unlimited entry to five of the most popular pavilions. This milestone came much earlier than anticipated and augurs well for the success of this large-scale event in promoting Taiwan abroad.

It is hard to avoid Nigerian films in Africa. Public buses show them, as do many restaurants and hotels. Nollywood, as the business is known, churns out about 50 full-length features a week, making it the world’s second most prolific film industry after India’s Bollywood.

At a press conference for international media, Dr. Sheng said that more than 100 cultural, sports and tourism activities would be lined up throughout next year. These range from shows of traditional Chinese and aboriginal folk art, international golf and baseball tournaments, and a home stay program for youths from 100 countries.

President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday once again played up the notion of the nation’s soft power, saying its pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai had helped to reduce tensions in the Taiwan Strait and prevent war.

Sheikh hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works '&' Chairman of the National Media Council (NMC), has expressed pleasure after UAE Pavilion was named by Shanghai Jiao Tong University as the most popular international pavilion at EXPO 2010.

As the global economic balance of power shifts from the West to the East, it is becoming increasingly evident that we are living through the tail end of half a millennium of Western supremacy. Consequently, Zimbabwe must perfect the art of benefiting from India, one of Asia’s emerging giants and a country that may become its most important trading partner.