Public diplomacy strategies represented domestically through ports along the Twenty-First Century Maritime Silk Road

This chapter examines US foreign policy as ‘smart power’, a combnation of hard and soft power, in the twenty-first century. The beginning of the twenty-first century saw George W. Bush place a strong emphasis on hard power, as exemplifed by the invasion and occupation of Iraq. This was evident after 9/11. While the war in Iraq showcased America’s hard military power that removed a tyrant, it failed to resolve US vulnerability to terrorism; on the contrary, it may have increased it. The chapter first considers the Obama administration’s reference to its foreign policy as ‘smart power’ before discussing Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy, the role of power in a global information age, soft power in US foreign policy, and how public diplomacy has been incorporated into US foreign policy.

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India’s Public Diplomacy in the Twenty-First Century: Components, Objectives and Challenges

India Quarterly A Journal of International Affairs ◽

10.1177/0974928419901188 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 24-39

Author(s):

Arijit Mazumdar

Keyword(s):

Foreign Policy ◽

Soft Power ◽

Public Diplomacy ◽

Nation Branding ◽

First Century ◽

International Exchange ◽

International Broadcasting ◽

Policy Goals ◽

Twenty First Century ◽

Rising Power

In recent years, several countries have made sustained efforts to project their ‘soft power’ abroad. Public diplomacy has been an important tool for this purpose. Public diplomacy involves activities usually undertaken by a national government to inform and influence foreign public opinion and attitudes in order to advance its foreign policy goals. Such activities include ‘nation-branding’, diaspora outreach, digital engagement, international broadcasting, and international exchange programmes, all of which are designed to promote a positive image and reputation of the country to a global audience. This paper discusses the role of public diplomacy in the service of India’s foreign policy goals during the twenty-first century. The practice of public diplomacy helps the country achieve two significant objectives. First, it helps allay any active or dormant fears within the international community about India as a rising power. Second, it helps India compete with other countries as it seeks to boost foreign tourist arrivals, attract foreign investment and secure new markets for its exports in an era of globalisation. This paper also briefly discusses some of the challenges associated with India’s use of public diplomacy.

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The Significant Role of Oman in China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative

Contemporary Review of the Middle East ◽

10.1177/2347798918812285 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 44-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mordechai Chaziza

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

High Speed ◽

Bilateral Trade ◽

Critical Role ◽

Silk Road ◽

First Century ◽

High Speed Rail ◽

Maritime Silk Road ◽

Physical Infrastructure

In recent years, China has been seeking to deepen its global centrality by connecting to Asia, Europe, and Africa through investments in physical infrastructure, that is, ports and pipelines, high-speed rail, and other utilities, with associated bilateral trade and investments in critical states along the land- and sea-based Silk Road. Oman is positioned to play a critical role in China’s expanding footprint in the Middle East. Its advantageous maritime location, influence in energy markets, and independent foreign policy make Oman an attractive partner for China and of vital strategic significance in the construction and realization of the twenty-first-century Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI). Oman has enthusiastically embraced China’s MSRI and expressed an eagerness to leverage China’s growing influence in the Middle East to transform itself into a center of global trade and manufacturing.

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