Soft Power

ASEAN’s delicious food is a goldmine

ASEAN countries should do more to promote their cuisine globally via gastrodiplomacy and tap into the vast potential it offers.The practice of promoting a country’s identity, heritage and diversity overseas through its cuisine or “gastrodiplomacy” is an increasingly popular government strategy for diplomacy and branding and can serve several purposes.Its best definition can perhaps be provided by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, an international n

9 March 2019
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China’s global ambitions stretch beyond trade

Even with sketchy financial information, research academics agree that China’s island building in the Spratly archipelago is a multi-billion-dollar undertaking. Some estimates note that building up Fiery Cross island alone, with its three-kilometre runway and military facilities including missile and radar installations, have cost around US$11 billion. But this is the pointed-end of the spear, and it is only one part of China’s global expansion plans.What about their soft power initiatives?

15 December 2018
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China’s soft ambitions for the world

Even with sketchy financial information, research academics agree that China’s island building in the Spratly archipelago is a multi-billion-dollar undertaking. Some estimates note that building up Fiery Cross island alone, with its three-kilometre runway and military facilities including missile and radar installations, have cost around US$11 billion. But this is the pointed-end of the spear, and it is only one part of China’s global expansion plans. What about their soft-power initiatives?

13 August 2018
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