Flicking on the television at midnight in Beijing recently, I came across a football match. It was Manchester United versus Charlton Athletic - broadcast live from Old Trafford with commentary in Chinese.

My first thought was not, "What's the score?" but - "Soft power". Doubtless my reaction reflected an excessive intake of books on international relations. But soft power is a fashionable notion in Beijing these days as China seeks to manage its "peaceful rise".