Stories about East Asia from February, 2016
The Troubling Rise of Internet-Related Arrests in Cambodia
"They do plainly illustrate a deeply troubling trend, whereby those who criticize the political elite are routinely being arrested for expressing their views on social media."
Hilarious Animated History of Japan Gets Rave Reviews—Including From Japanese
Bill Wurtz's compelling video history of Japan has gone viral, collecting millions of views in just over one week.
Chinese Authorities Pressured a Bangladesh Art Summit Into Censoring a Tibet Exhibit
"The underlying threat to this message is: If you do not comply, we will cut economic ties or otherwise make it difficult for you."
Viewers Complain China’s Spring Festival TV Gala Was Way Too Political This Year
"The New Year's gala this year is awful, I feel like I’ve just watched a daily news broadcast but in gala form."
Is Taiwan a Country, a Self-Governing Island, or a Breakaway Territory or Province of China?
The question of Taiwan's political status "is a difficult question for diplomats and journalists, and it is not an easy one even for Taiwanese."
For Mainland Chinese, Taiwan's Earthquake Relief Efforts Stand in Stark Contrast to Their Own
"So concrete, transparent and efficient."
These Speed Drawing Videos Promote Tolerance and Women Empowerment in Indonesia
"With the spread of extremist doctrines targeting vulnerable youth, the need for alternative messages to violent intolerance that celebrate Indonesia’s spirit of pluralism and unity in diversity is increasingly urgent."
China Tries to Be Hip With Its Latest Political Propaganda Songs
Chinese Communist Party propaganda now comes in rap form, with lyrics like, "Say it with me, The Four Comprehensives, The Four Comprehensives, a prosperous society is the goal".
Global Deforestation Is Decreasing. Or Is It?
A new look at the complex picture of changes in land use suggests that, when it comes to forests, we’re far from being out of the woods.
Political Interference? The Culling of Japan's Broadcasters Culminates in a Respected Journalist's Ouster
"Pressure from the Abe government? All newscasters critical of the government have been taken off the air, one after the other."
Malaysia's ‘Toxic’ Politics Are Similar to ‘Game of Thrones’, Says Prime Minister's Brother
"The future terrifies me: I just can't see how our institutions can recover, how our political atmosphere can become less toxic, how our international reputation can be repaired."
Colorized Photos Show Manila in Ruins After the Second World War
"100,000 Filipinos perished, government buildings lay in ruins—and Manila was Pearl of the Orient no more."
For Myanmar’s People, Aung San Suu Kyi’s Government Marks a New Dawn
"Today is the day we have been waiting for so long. People Power."
A Syrian Man Takes Refuge in a Korean Honeymoon Resort Island
Ahmed Lababidi, 22, left the war-ravaged city of Aleppo back in 2012, fleeing across the Turkish border. He followed his younger brother on a journey to South Korea.