· May, 2008

Stories about East Asia from May, 2008

Plastic bag plan takes effect in China

  31 May 2008

Starting June 1, the Chinese government's country-wide plan to make shoppers pay small fees for plastic bags, and to forbid the production of ultra-thin bags will take effect. The move...

China: Earthquake Propaganda

  31 May 2008

Lao Sun from my1510 criticized the post-earthquake propaganda in creating a savior image of the Chinese Communist Party [zh].

Cambodia: Freedom of Flying

  31 May 2008

Educated in France to be an engineer, Santel Phin spent two years in Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. In Cambodia, the 31 year-old Santel presently...

Myanmar: Inadequate aid

  30 May 2008

Penguin Blog uploads an article by American journalist Emma Larkin who has a first-hand account of the cyclone disaster in Myanmar. Larkin notes the small aid reaching the Burmese: ”...

Japan: Grumpy Jiisan on Nico Nico Douga

  30 May 2008

The latest hit at Nico Nico Douga, Japan's popular video sharing service, is a retired man from Arizona calling himself “Grumpy Jiisan” [Grumpy Old Man], who shoots videos in which he comments on his favorite Japanese anime. Subtitled versions of Grumpy Jiisan's videos at Nico Nico Douga are so popular that they have drawn thousands of comments.

China: After the quake, hoping for aid

  30 May 2008

From inside and outside China, concerned citizens are helping, and putting their hands out to help the victims of the devastating 7.9 in the Richter scale earthquake that leveled out industrial cities, transforming them into refugee camps where people are living under plastic bags, trying to find out their relatives and remake their lives. Four different videos bring us perspectives on how people are dealing with their losses all around the world, and how reaching out to help others could help help ease the pain.

China: Earthquake Cursing Video

  29 May 2008

A video with a woman (from Liaoning) cursing Earthquake victims in Sichuan has been circulated widely in China. More Videos curse back.

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.