Stories about East Asia from February, 2008
East Timor: Salsinha admits attacking Xanana Gusmão
According to Timor Online [pt], Gastão Salsinha, who replaced Alfredo Reinado as the rebels’ leader after he was killed during the attacks on the East Timor's top leaders, has admitted having opened fire against Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão but said they did not intend to kill him. “So the theory...
China: Wen Jiabao's neighbors forcefully evicted
Since his blogging tour by bike through some of the poorest areas in China, veteran Beijing blogger Laohu “Tiger Temple” Miao has over the past two months taken on the part-time job of social worker for a group of homeless and destitute senior citizens living behind a temporary roadside wall just opposite Tiananmen Square, collecting donations and organizing clothing and food drives through his blog, 24 Hours Online, and through this inspiring similar actions [zh] in other cities.
China: Hu Jie
Zhai Minglei posted an interview with Hu Jie (zh), a documentary film maker, who lives with the poor with his camera.
China: Human Flesh Search Engine
ESWN translated a story about a netizen's call for “human flesh search engine” to identify a malicious “uncle figure” in an online video. In the end, they managed to find the uploader, but not the “uncle”.
South Korea: New Political Party
Newcham has an interview with lawmaker Shim Sang-jung, who is in the process of building a new political party.
Korea: Increase in Living Expenses and Freedom of Speech
While Koreans are waiting for the new administration after the presidential election, the ambitious policies of the new administration and the burning of Namdaemun (South Gate) in Seoul seem to cause Koreans to build up uncertain trust toward the administration.
Myanmar: To start a radio campaign for Free Burma
Burma Sitmone urges fellow Burmese to start a radio campaing for Free Burma, “There are wonderful young and energetic Burmese bloggers who have been posting very relevant and interesting opinion in Burmese language … it would be very lucky if these posts are read by one percent of Burmese staying...
Japan: Gov't to admit Burmese refugees
At the Glocom blog, there is news that the Japanese government is planning to admit refugees from Burma now staying in Thailand.
Japan: Advertisers abandon print, move online
Japanese blogger and journalist Fujishiro Hiroyuki at Gatonews summarizes results [ja] from a report [ja] issued by Japan's largest on ad agency Dentsu on advertising sales in Japan over the year 2007. The figures indicate a shift away from newspapers and magazines and toward online media: compared to figures from...
Hong Kong: Indecent and Obscene Classification
ESWN translated Next magazine's feature on how obscene articles tribunal adjudicators classify sexy photos gate.
China: Tiananmen 2.0
Feng37 set up a blog called Tiananmen 2.0. It is a fan blog for Hu Jia and Zheng Jinyan.
China: Premier Wen, Please Visit your Neighbor
During the snow storm, Premier Wen Jiabo has been traveling around the country and visiting victims of the storm. Tiger temple urged Premier Wen to visit his neighbor, homeless in Qainmen. The city control team has torn away their shelters in cold weather (zh).
Taiwan: Release Netizen!
The Hong Kong sexy photo gate effect has extended to Taiwan. Police has arrested a netizen who shared photos with others under local obscenity censorship law. Portnoy pointed out that the police has no power to define the nature of the photos, and Taiwanese has the right to enjoy pleasure....
Thailand: Haven For Criminals
“Is Thailand a haven for US criminals?” asks the Lost Boy.
South Korea: Haagen-Dazs Workers Protest
Chamnews reports about Korean Haagen-Dazs’ workers protest against the company's outsourcing and restructuring policy.
South Korea: Dark Tourism
Korea Beat translated a local report on the phenomenon of “dark tourism” to the scene of the Namdaemun/Sungnyemun fire.
China: More Fake Photos
Netizen from China dig out more fake photos circulating in the mainstream media, some of those had won photo awards. ESWN translated a local report on the fake Qinghai-Tibet railroad photo, and there is another award-winning photo in doubt called “The Pitiless Fire” (also via ESWN).
China: Political Mistake
Zengying blogs about his experience of making a serious “political mistake” in a local T.V station at the end of the 1990s. It was about a T.V drama which had been shown in the central television station. Eventually he found out that the mistake was the pronunciation of the name...
China: Another World's Tallest Skyscraper Plan
Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist reports on skyscraper plan in Shanghai, it will be the world's tallest in 2009.
China: Taiwan and Kosovo
Taiwan's Foreign Minister announced its recognition of Kosovo as an independent country, China Foreign Affair spoke person responded that Taiwan is not in position to give “recognition” to Kosovo. Bonnae from 1510.com pointed out that Kosovo's independence has put China into an embarrassing situation and Taiwan's attitude is also hitting...
Malaysia: Rethinking the Opposition
Fat4 thinks Malaysian opposition parties must rethink their strategy in order to give the ruling coalition a good fight.
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