From the AP Wire — BEIJING: Past and present Chinese leaders appeared together on army day Wednesday, celebrating the founding of the People’s Liberation Army in a striking show of unity ahead of a key Communist Party congress later this year.
Former President and party chief Jiang Zemin, seldom seen in public since giving up his last official title in 2004, joined current top leader Hu Jintao on stage at a ceremony celebrating the army’s 80th anniversary.
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Yale University Press author, Joshua Kurlantzick has recently published a book on the country, called Charm Offensive. This book is the first to examine the significance of China’s recent reliance on soft power—diplomacy, trade incentives, cultural and educational exchange opportunities, and other techniques—to project a benign national image, position itself as a model of social and economic success, and develop stronger international alliances. Drawing on years of experience tracking China’s policies in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Kurlantzick reveals how China has wooed the world with a “charm offensive” that has largely escaped the attention of American policy makers.

Beijing’s new diplomacy has altered the political landscape in Southeast Asia and far beyond, changing the dynamics of China’s relationships with other countries. China also has worked to take advantage of American policy mistakes, Kurlantzick contends. In a provocative conclusion, he considers a future in which China may be the first nation since the Soviet Union to rival the United States in international influence.

Click here to download the author’s podcast.
Click here to read an excerpt.