Over the past two years, the Obama administration has focused greater diplomatic attention and military resources on East Asia as part of a policy described as a "pivot" or "rebalancing." While American leaders are loath to admit it publicly, this is a response to China's growing influence, particularly Beijing's territorial claims around its borders.

Last Saturday night, in a gala featuring 62 bands and singers, the Mandarin pop extravaganza "Chinese Music Chart Awards," often dubbed China's Grammys, took place - in slightly toned down form? in Taiwan's packed 15,000-seat Taipei Arena...The awards, announced unilaterally by China, were opposed by Taiwan's anti-unification opposition. They appear to be the latest in an unflagging string of stratagems by Beijing to waft soft-power blandishments across the 160-km Taiwan Strait.

Chinese netizens gave a mixed reaction to an article carried by U.S.-based Washington Times that lauded the impact of Taiwan's soft power on China. The article , 'Only Taiwan' holds any reins on China, cited Steven S. F. Chen, former Taiwan representative to the United States and now an adviser to President Ma Ying-jeou, as saying that Taiwan is "the only force on Earth that may have an impact on the future political development of China."

Taiwan is “the only force on Earth that may have an impact on the future political development of China,” said Steven S.F. Chen, formerly the island’s envoy to the United States and now an adviser to its president. “Not, I’m afraid to say, the United States, not Japan, not any another country. Only Taiwan.”

The Taiwan International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo (TICCIE) has thus seen considerable growth in the number of either participants or exhibit categories since the Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA), the predecessor of today’s Ministry of Culture (MOC), proposed to arrange the annual event three years ago.

In order to tighten the artistic and cultural connection between the U.S. and Taiwan, the MMA has donated to MoNTUE 100 pieces of plaster sculptures that date from between the Medieval period to the late 19th century.The Public Diplomacy Section Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan, Sheila Paskman (裴士蓮), said that cultural soft power and diplomacy have brought Taiwan and America a new method of communication and exchange.

The council will conduct a thorough review of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area and establish offices in each other's territories to serve the needs of businesspeople, students and the general public.

The ROC Ministry of Culture is set to increase its overseas missions from three to 11 during the coming year as part of efforts promoting Taiwan’s soft power, according to MOC Minister Lung Ying-tai Nov. 6.