Stories about East Asia from March, 2013
Chinese Mom Buys NYC Apartment for Toddler
China's state media CCTV News ran a video report on a Chinese mom who bought a USD $6.5 million apartment in Manhattan for her two-year daughter, in preparation for her daughter's college life in NYC. Offbeat China has translated the report.
Xi Jinping's ‘Shoe’ Metaphor Lights Up Web
While discussing the paths that nations take towards development in a speech delivered at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Chinese president Xi Jinping said, “Only the wearer knows if the shoe fits his foot.” Xi’s metaphor triggered Chinese netizens’ comments. CHINA DIGITAL TIMES has translated some comments, including Blogger...
Why China's Real-Name Microblog Rules Fail
The real-name registration regulation of micro-blogs in China has been implemented for more than a year, but a majority of netizens just ignore the regulation. David Caragliano from Tea Leaf Nation explains why the regulation has failed.
China's Red Army Returns Online and Hunts Students
In China's Southern Guangdong province, a local University has been monitoring student conversation online and controlling their negative sentiment for the last 3 years.The news triggered outrage online; many think the university has violated student privacy and demanded a stop to the system.
University Builds Internet Red Army in China
Since 2010, Guangdong Baiyun University started running a “Students’ Internet and Social Media Information Monitoring” team to watch students’ online activities. More from Off Beat China.
Japan's Prime Minister On Your Smartphone
The Japanese prime minister’s office revealed apps that give smartphone users easy access to official announcements and photos from official events. Masaru Ikeda at StartupDating writes: for the younger generation who don’t subscribe to physical newspapers or watch TV news shows, it could be a good touch point for them to stay up to speed...
Myanmar: Who is Plotting the Meikhtila Riot?
For three days, riots raged in the town of Meikhtila in the Mandalay division of Myanmar. A curfew was imposed by the police after a group of people reportedly set buildings and motor bikes on fire in the area. Netizens condemned those who are speading hate messages online and those who are provoking religious and ethnic clashes
Hong Kong's Democrats Have Radical Plans
To pressure Beijing to grant Hong Kong genuine universal suffrage, democratic activists have begun discussing civil disobedience as a viable tactic .
The Return of China's First Lady
Reversing a streak decades long of low-profile presidential wives, Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan accompanied her husband, new President Xi Jinping, to Russia on his first foreign tour, marking a return of the role to the political spotlight.
Vietnam Police Question Activist Over Article
According to a Radio Free Asia report written by Y. Lan and Rachel Vandenbrink, Vietnamese activist Le Cong Cau of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam was accused by the police of spreading subversive propaganda in connection to an article he wrote espousing political pluralism.
Travel Blogging in Vietnam
Pham Hoang Mien is disappointed that only few Vietnamese bloggers are writing about the country's tourism potential. She notes that most of the travel bloggers writing about Vietnam are either expats or international tourists. She wants local netizens to blog more about tourism.
Analysis: North Korea Behind Hack Attack?
A cyber attack hit South Korea's major broadcaster and bank websites. North Korea Tech blog tells more on the attack pattern and the possibility of North Korea's involvement.
Google Myanmar is Now Online
Google Myanmar is now available in local domain at www.google.com.mm a few days before the arrival of Google CEO Eric Schmidt in Myanmar. Google play store which is inaccessible in Myanmar also seems to have been unblocked for now.
VIDEO: Tokyo Gives Harlem Shake a Whirl
Popular Internet video meme the Harlem Shake [en] has hit Tokyo. A verison organized by a Latino under the pseudonym Saw was filmed on March 17, 2013 in Shibuya, the heart of Japan's youth culture, and the video was uploaded on YouTube a few days later. Portal Mie [pt], an online portal that serves Portuguese-speaking foreigners in Japan, has...
Chinese Microblogger Detained After Questioning Dead Pigs Scandal
The dead pigs scandal in Shanghai has been a hot topic online for the past two weeks, yet one poet's voice on this issue has lead to her detention.
Japan's ‘Sex Slaves’ Phantom Fuels Petition
The GoPetition site published Do not select Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics petition which has been introduced to many local sites. It accuses the current Japanese administration of denying the truth that more than 200,000 women and girls were indeed forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during...
Tokyo Smog Stokes Fears of China's Spreading Pollution
Alarm is growing in Japan that neighboring China's jaw-dropping levels of air pollution may be wafting over the island nation.
China's $20 Billion Pledge to Africa
Deborah Brautigam from China in Africa: The Real Story looks into the nature of China's pledge of $20 Billion to Africa at the fifth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation held in Beijing last summer: I went back to examine the Chinese discussion around this $20 billion....