The towns of Blagoveshchensk and Heihe are divided by a river – and the very different routes the Russian and Chinese economies are travelling along. And there’s no doubt which town people want to live in.
Which countries get their way in the world without having to resort to military might? Who are the soft power leaders who know the value of well-placed aid or a good pop star? Over the following pages we name the top 25…
Today most countries prefer to assert their international identity with artists not armies. We profile the cultural missions of four countries out to win friends with dancing dragons and alternative art.