Anyone who knows a bit about East Asia should be aware of the fact that China doesn't really have a lot of friends in the immediate neighbourhood. The only real "friend" that Xi Jinping has around him is Vladimir Putin. The kind of friend we all dream of. A couple of nights ago, while analysing who's GONNA win this superpower showdown, I heard a French journalist mention that one of China's great weaknesses in this confrontation is her lack of soft power. I've been thinking about that over the ensuing 24-48 hours, and this post is the outcome.