· September, 2011

Stories about East Asia from September, 2011

Hong Kong: Migrant Domestic Workers

  26 September 2011

Foreign domestic workers constitute 3,763,000 total workforce in Hong Kong. However, their rights are very often neglected. “Open door” a support group for FDW posted an article addressing the situation at inmediahk.net.

China: National Secrets and Face

  26 September 2011

C Custer explains how the Chinese authorities’ concern for their “face” is at work in Chinese media and law enforcement unit.

Indonesia: Suicide Bomb Blast at Protestant Church

  26 September 2011

A Protestant church in Solo, Central Java in Indonesia was hit by a suicide bomb blast on Sunday. Twitter users in Solo and elsewhere are extending their condolences and expressing their disappointment over this tragic event.

Philippines: Anti-Planking Bill Draws More Planks

  26 September 2011

A proposal in the Philippines to ban planking has drawn much criticism online and offline. Planking has been used by student activists as a creative form of protest, especially in last week's nationwide campus strikes against education budget cuts.

China: Interview with a digital dissident

  25 September 2011

Tom from Seeing Red in China interviews Xiaomi (twitter: @xiaomi2020), one of the organizers of Yizhe, a group which translates Western journalism on China so that they are more accessible to ordinary Chinese. Though not politically-oriented, some members of the group were identified by authorities because they translate news considered...

China: If This is Neocolonialism, Bring It

  24 September 2011

The new US ambassador to China Gary Locke's public appearances since his appointment in July have shown him to be a man with class that Chinese government officials just can't compete with. Or so most Chinese netizens say. It's actually just an elaborate scheme aimed at making China lose face.

Video: Water Bottle Lights and Other Eco-Friendly Inventions

  24 September 2011

Solar lights and hot water heaters from plastic water bottles, houses made from trash and a way to do without plastic bags are some of the projects making reducing, reusing and recycling not only fun and affordable but also vital in improving the quality of life of people all around the world.

Timor-Leste eProcurement Portal

  23 September 2011

The East Timor government says it established the Timor-Leste eProcurement Portal to enhance transparency and accountability. The website “allows citizens, donors, NGOs and the press to analyze and search information related with the goods, services or works that (the government) is procuring.”

Thailand: Commemoration of 2006 Coup

  23 September 2011

Lillian Suwanrumpha posts pictures of the assembly of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship or popularly known as Red Shirts as the group commemorated the five-year anniversary of the military coup that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

North Korea: Google Earth Reveals Death Camps in Detail

  23 September 2011

Kyle Wagner from Gizmodo site wrote a post on one of the most detailed images of the North Korean concentration camps taken by Google Earth. It is estimated that over 200,000 North Korean citizens are imprisoned in the camps under unimaginably harsh conditions.

Colombia: President Santos’ Tour of Asia

  23 September 2011

Last week, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos toured Japan and South Korea for seven days with the goal of strengthening commercial ties. In Japan, he signed an agreement to protect reciprocal investments, while the Koreans promised to accelerate the process for a free trade treaty. Bloggers and Twitter users commented on the trip.

China: A water calligraphy dot matrix printer

  22 September 2011

Danwei has produced a video interview with Nicholas Hanna, a media artist who has built a tricycle that can paint Chinese characters with water on the ground as it moves. The machine is inspired by Beijingers who practice Chinese calligraphy with water brushes on the ground in parks.

China: Chinese restaurant secrets

  22 September 2011

Ministry of Tofu translated a post from Sinablog exposing how some of the Chinese restaurant use chemicals to add favor and color to their food.

Protecting the Beaches of Brunei

  21 September 2011

The Beach Bunch Association was established to protect the beaches of Brunei from pollution. It taps the power of social media to gather more support from the public. One of its projects include a mapping of Brunei beaches to identify the location, services offered and situation of the beaches in the country.

Global: Reflections on Peace Day 2011

  21 September 2011

To mark the International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21, female bloggers from The SunFlower Post share their perspectives on world peace by reflecting on the realities of their lives in Mexico, China, Turkey, Russia and Latvia.

China: California Hotel adapted by a cook

  21 September 2011

A Chinese kitchen worker adapted the song California Hotel and sang in his farewell party. The video was uploaded in youku and echoed by thousands of people. China Hush translated the story and the lyrics of the Chinese version song.

South Korea: The Diplomats Who Can't Speak English

  20 September 2011

It was revealed on September 13, 2011, that four out of ten South Korean diplomats find it nearly impossible to use proper diplomatic language in English, prompting the public to raise questions on the competency of Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials.

South Korea: More Blocking of Pro-North Korean Internet Content

  20 September 2011

Quoting DongA newspaper's report on the censorship of internet content in South Korea, Martyn Williams from North Korea Tech blog wrote that there has been a sharp increase of the number of South Korean police requests demanding the deletion of pro-North Korean internet content.

About our East Asia coverage

Oiwan Lam
Oiwan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Mong Palatino
Mong Palatino is the South East Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.