Australia has risen on the global rankings of soft power, bumping off Russia to claim tenth place, while China and the United States slid down in the wake of the CCP virus pandemic, a reputable index has revealed. Soft power, according to Harvard University Professor Joseph Nye, who coined the term, is a nation’s ability to influence the international arena through “attraction and persuasion” rather than “coercion.” Additionally, soft power determines people’s travel destinations, spending habits on consumer goods, and where they send their kids to study, Melissa Conley Tyler, from the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute, told Sydney Morning Herald. Australia rejoined the top 10 after ceding the position to Russia last year. The report, by Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, revealed that Australia’s successful handling of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, was a key factor to its return to the top …