Stories about East Asia from September, 2012
Vietnam: Government Jails Three ‘Dissident’ Bloggers
Three Vietnamese bloggers have been convicted by a local court for allegedly spreading anti-government propaganda. One of them will serve a prison term of 12 years. Human rights groups immediately condemned the verdict and warned against the creeping online repression in the country.
Laos: Low Power Rates but Many People Still in the Dark
Despite the presence of several large hydro power plants in Laos, electricity access remains a problem for many people in the country. Power rates, however, are lower compared to other countries
Urban Malaysian Dictionary
Amir Muhammad's Urban Malaysian Dictionary features commonly used words in urban Malaysia. The online project started in 2008.
Cambodia: Human Rights Situation
The Special Rapporteur also noted the use of the criminal justice system against human rights defenders and those peacefully exercising their right to express opinion freely This was part of the report of the UN Human Rights Council after it conducted a dialogue in Cambodia about the human rights situation...
New Caledonia: Political Tension Grows Over Rights to Nickel Mines
Claudine WERY writes [fr] that political tension grows between independentist and non-indenpendentist political parties in New Caledonia over the exploitation of Nickel mines. Non-independentists accuse the other party to strike deals with China and South Korea that they are not authorized to pursue. A referendum on gaining independence from France is scheduled...
China's Digital Publishing Market
Laurence Harris from DANWEI looks into the market potentials and copyrights challenges of the Chinese digital publishing market.
China: A New Breed of Sino-foreign Film Co-productions
China Hearsay republished an article from Agenda Magazine about various “tricks” to get into the China film market by making use of the system of Sino-foreign film co-productions. The issue at stake is, if there is two versions of the same film catering the China and western market, can we...
The Slap that Changed China's History
On September 24, the former police chief of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on four charges: bending the law for personal interest, defection, abuse of power and corruption. He is at the center of China's biggest political scandal in recent memory, the murder of a British businessman by the wife of Chongqing Communist Party high flier Bo Xilai.
China: Intraparty Democracy
Qian Gang from China Media Project reviewed the discussion and development of Intra-party democracy within the Chinese Communist Party through the so-called “open nomination and direct election” in the election of grassroots representatives.
Will China Fall Prey to the ‘Skyscraper Curse'?
By 2022, the number of skyscrapers in China will reach 1,318 compared to 563 in the United States. But according to one theory, the world's tallest buildings often rise on the eve of economic downturns...
China: University's Stability Maintenance Instructions on Diaoyu Islands Dispute
Anne Henochowicz from China Digital Times translated a stability maintenance instructions from within an university from Shaanxi province which demands teachers and staffs from various departments to monitor students’ sentiment on the Diaoyu Islands disputes and prevent “rumors” from spreading.
Wal-mart In China
I have a feeling all it takes is one pissed-off customer to make a phone call to the local officials to get that Wal-mart investigation up and running. It’s tough being a foreign investor in China, as Wal-mart by this point knows all too well. Then again, things could be...
South Korea: Presidential Nominee Stumbles Over Unresolved History
South Korea's ruling conservative party’s presidential nominee has suffered a major setback after she made an offensive remark on a notoriously unfair trial made under her father’s authoritarian rule. Former President Park Chung-hee is one of the most polarizing figures in South Korean history.
Japan: Anxiety Over Human Rights Commission Bill
A bill to set up a Human Rights Commission has been met with opposition from different parties and citizens. The bill aims to set up an independent commission for human rights violation such as bullying, descrimination, and slander on the Internet, as an extra-ministerial committe of the Ministry of Justice.
Japan: Petition to Release Violin from Frankfurt Customs
On August 16, 2012, German customs officials at Frankfurt Airport seized a Guarneri violin from Japanese professional musician Yuzuko Horigome when she failed to present correct documentation. They demanded that she pay nearly US$ 500,000 in order to get it back.
Japan: Citizens Respond to New Nuclear Power Policies
Individuals with vested interests in nuclear power have been named to lead a regulatory commission of the Japanese government that will play crucial role in determining whether to phase out nuclear power during the 2030s and how. While environmental groups welcome the government's statement of intent to end nuclear power, citizens are calling for commission members with a conflict of interest to be declared ineligible.
Japan: Misreporting on “1,000 Chinese Boats” Headed for Disputed Islands
The watchdog for accuracy in news reporting in Japan reports [ja] in its website gohoo.org that several major Japanese newspapers have recently written posts on the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands, which are currently part of an ownership dispute with China (for example), based on false information.
Myanmar: Cheers and Jeers for Peace Day Rally
Despite threats from the police, various groups in Myanmar staged peaceful actions to celebrate the International Day of Peace last September 21. The participants demanded an end in the civil war which has caused a lot of suffering in the north part of the country. Many people supported the rally but others questioned the effectiveness of holding protest actions
Singapore: Charity Group Targets Poor Children in Laos and Vietnam
A group of seven professional Swedish women based in Singapore have formed the charity organization Together for Charity. Today, the group gathers donations to support an orphanage in Laos and an English school in Vietnam. The group's founders discussed with Global Voices how their charity work is helping poor children in the region
China: Divisions among Anti-Japan Protesters
Yi Lu from Tea Leaf Nation looks into the discussion among micro-bloggers and sees there are more and more divisions along the line of regional and class differences among anti-Japan protesters.
Philippines: TEDxDiliman Trends on Twitter
More than 100 attendees trooped to the University of Philippines campus in Diliman to witness TEDxDiliman 2012. Several recognizable personalities were invited as this year's speakers. Meanwhile, on the internet, netizens eagerly followed the event via livestream. The hashtag #tedxdiliman quickly became a local trending topic.
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