Despite sharing many cultural affinities, Indonesia and Malaysia have had a checkered relationship over the past 50 years […] but underneath the tensions, there are lessons Jakarta can learn, and these may help explain why Indonesia’s soft power is not yet at the level it ought to be. 

Set to provide a bridge for cross-cultural exchange, the “Europe Days 2015” program will come back to open a window into the richness of the European Union’s different cultural traditions with a series of entertaining and intellectual activities.

The ongoing Singapore Festival in France and the traveling Singapore: Inside Out campaign are just two veins of Singapore's global cultural outreach, an attempt to promote its cutting-edge artists - and through them, a dynamic Singapore brand - the world over.

In a Facebook post, Ng said the Singapore Armed Forces and the Vietnam People’s Army had conducted their first joint military medicine mission, providing basic health care, dental and eye services to residents in the Binh Xuyen district of Vinh Phuc province in Vietnam.

Myanmar is now open for business, encouraging countries around the world to consider it as a strong destination for investment. Singapore, Japan and India, among others, are in the process of establishing an economic footprint in the Southeast Asian country. Two nations of particular importance to Myanmar are Japan and India, both Asian giants.

China’s moves in Laos are indicative of a much grander strategy, however, which aspires to deepen Chinese-Thai relations, counter Vietnam, and potentially even ‘flip’ Cambodia from Hanoi’s influence.

As One Belt, One Road initiatives are based on China and other countries involved in the projects working closely together and sharing commercial and other benefits, Beijing needs to ensure friendly relations with its neighbors and regional powers.