Stories about East Asia from September, 2006
Philippines: Darkness after Xangsane
Mr. Fuji in Manila describes the situation in downtown Manila in the wake of Typhoon Xangsane. “looking out from my manila hotel room, makati is dark, right to the horizon. it’s eerie to see a city that was full of lights now sleeping. there a little flecks of light here...
Macau nurtures Luso-Sino connection
Macau can be seen today as the very capital of a reinvigorated Luso-Sino friendship. In addition to holding the Economic and Commercial Cooperation Forum which happened this last weekend, the city is preparing to host the First Lusofonia Games, to be held during the week of October 7-15. The event...
Cambodia: Vietnamese Soldiers
Chhay Vet blogging at Khmer440 remember the time immidiately after the fall of Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The blogger has respect for the first batch of Vietnamese troops who helped end Khmer rouge rule. “The Vietnamese finally established their headquarters in the pagoda at the top of Phnom Sampheou but...
Vietnam: Caring for Parents
Virtual Doug in a post titled Filial Piety talks about the differences in parent child relationship in Vietnam and the US. “The American and Asian cultures are very, very different in the ways they look at honoring Mom and Dad. My Vietnamese students made it very clear that merely sending...
Indonesia: New Political Parties
Indonesia Matters lists newly registerd political parties in Indonesia. The blogger also taks about how the explosion in the number of parties is causing parties to come up with similar sounding names.
Philippines: Typhoon Milenyo
Manuel Quezon in Philippines rounds up the typhoon Milenyo stories from the papers and the blogs. The typhoon, knows as Xangsane internationally struck the Philippines on wednesday and is now moving north towards China.
Philippines: Fiesta in San Agustin
Ivan Henaras visits the town of San Agustin and attends a fiesta there. The blogger is surprised to find a lost tradition still being practised in San Agustin/ “I was surprised that an old pre-war tradition was still being done in San Agustin. Unlike the current fiestas were we hold...
China: Killing chickens, not for bird flu
A corruption probe has led to the dismissal of Chen Liangyu, the highest-ranked Communist official in Shanghai and key member of former Chairman Jiang Zemin‘s Shanghai Gang, a rival faction to the current administration headed by Chairman Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. Where the hundred million dollars has gone...
China: the reply of the spoofed poet
The poet Zhao Lihua has been spoofed by netizen in the past few weeks. Joel Martinsen from DAWEI summarizes the debate and translates the reply of the poet: Let's all write poetry!
Singapore and Hong Kong: ban FEER
The Far Eastern Economic Review's editor blogs about the decision of singapore government to ban the magazine: “It has explicitly warned that not only is the Review Publishing Company forbidden from importing or distributing the Hong Kong-based monthly, but Singaporeans will also commit a criminal offense if they import or...
South Korea: history of prostitution
Robert Neff writes in detail about the history of prostitution in Korea (Chosun), it is one of the oldest profession.
Hong Kong: urban renewal
Chong at interlocals.net translates a citizen report on a urban renewal project in a poor district in Hong Kong: “There are more poor people than the rich in Hong Kong. But why the rich need to come to Kwun Tong downtown, even though they already have the whole Hong Kong...
Taiwan: Media Riot
There have been many complaints about mainstream media practice in Taiwan. Some feel that it hampers Taiwan from developing into a matured democratic society. Recently the whole island's news reports have covered nothing but the rallies either opposing or supporting Taiwan's President Chen Shui-Bian. Many Taiwanese bloggers are furious at...
Video: Vietnamese bloggers get “kinky” for charity
Vietnamese blogger Elmooh has uploaded a series of four videos shot at an “Offline Party” – a blogger-organized charity fundraiser in Hanoi. The party included a game involving young men, young women, bananas and candles. (Don't worry, it's all g-rated and everybody keeps their clothes on!) I e-mailed Elmooh asking...
Vietnam: Cambodia to Vietnam
Tim Hoiland has posted a pictorial account of his trip from Cambodia capital Phnom Penh to Saigon in Vietnam. The pictures provide insights in the life and occupations around the Mekong river.
Cambodia: Ancestor's Day
Vutha in Cambodia introduces Prachum Benda, the Cambodian Ancestor's day. “The fifteen-day observance of Prachum Benda, or Ancestors’ Day, is a time for living relatives to remember their ancestors and offer food to those unfortunate enough to have become trapped in the spirit world.”
Malaysia: Narrow Minded Political Group
Shianux writes about the lack of basic economics knowledge among the UMNO political party members in Malaysian province of Johor. Johor is the province that borders Singapore. Johor UMNO is asking the federal government to cancel all projects like the proposed bullet train between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore that might...
South Korea: solidarity protest against military base
Days in Daechuri reports on the weekend solidarity protest in seoul against the expansion of military base in Pyeongtaek. There were also protests in New York and Los Angeles.
China: harmonious society
Positive solutions writes on the social economic background for the Chinese government's propaganda of building a harmonious society.
South Korea: Crisis in the Humanities in Korea
An opinion piece written by Yoo Seung-gi in Ohmynews, talking about the crisis in humanities subjects in Korea education.
China: internet mobs hunt Accord Girl
Jeremy Goldkorn in DANWEI blogs about a Accord Girl's video that enraged local netizens and resulted in another internet mobs hunt. The girl thinks that anyone who earns less than 3,000 yuan a month is a loser (i.e. most people in China).