The anti-corruption drive -- the longest and most systematic in Chinese history -- is changing the way public officials do business. Any sensible official will now think twice before accepting a bribe.

Chinese leaders have advocated for the idea of public diplomacy, however implementation and execution of media and materials have been lacking – an essential aspect of China’s branding problems. Sean Ding argues that better branding requires a more open decision-making process, greater awareness of global and cross-cultural communications within the institutions, and ongoing consultation with the intended audience.

The destiny of China, and that of China's ruling party, hinges on whether the current anti-corruption campaign will bring about a clean, efficient and service-oriented government.

Like the original creation of the American Dream, the Chinese Dream has been utilized institutionally to show that anything is possible for the average individual, with the right amount of drive and hard work. Over time, the American Dream has become driven more by the material signifiers of a house and car. China must nurture a more balanced dream to avoid the emphasis on materialism.

Beijing has varied in its response to the increasing popularity of Christianity in China. Doug Bandow describes the historical ways in which Christianity has interacted with sovereignty, and states that the Beijing government would best respond in a way that uses increased religious faith to encourage peaceful social progress.

While American governmental influence in Hollywood is not negligible, it still pales in comparison to Chinese governmental influence in the film business. There are groups in both countries that would like film to serve the interests of state, just as there are stubbornly independent filmmakers in both countries as well. From Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper (2014) to the popular Chinese TV show, Empress of China (2014), Cunningham explores the relationships between state censorship, and glorified sex and violence.

Strained relations between the Uyghur community in Xinjiang and the Chinese government have led to increasing instability, which hinders China’s larger goals to increase trade with Central Asia and the Middle East. China's New Silk Road strategy may provide an opportunity for the CCP and Uyghur leaders to strike an uneasy bargain, albeit one that can halt the cycle of repression and retaliatory violence.

The KMT and the DPP will soon unveil candidates for the top executive job in Taiwan, and politics will revolve around the 2016 election. Both Beijing and Washington are hoping that the people of Taiwan will elect a leader that supports stable cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

Xi has said on multiple occasions that the next steps of China’s reforms will be tough. But the decisiveness and resolution he has displayed in handling corrupt officials such as Zhou have won him public confidence.

There are important points, applicable also in U.S.-China relations, to be noted in the presumed North Korean hacking attack on Sony Pictures, precipitated by the latter’s film “The Interview,” which treats as a spoof a CIA conspiracy to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.