Stories about East Asia from July, 2023
Why is Kyiv giving Taiwan the cold shoulder? Interview with Ukrainian MP Mykola Knyazhytskyy
While Taipei continues to support Ukraine by sending humanitarian aid, including to refugees across Europe, official Kyiv sides with Beijing and fails to acknowledge Taiwan's overall support.
Hong Kong court rejects government application for ban on pro-democracy protest song
A Hong Kong judge believes that perfectly innocent people might refrain from engaging in lawful acts involving the song for fear of trespassing the injunction.
Can Taiwan become a hub for journalists fleeing mounting authoritarianism in Asia?
Taiwan is rated as one of the freest societies in Asia, but are the Taiwanese authorities ready to turn the island into a welcoming and safe haven for journalists fleeing authoritarianism in their home countries in Asia?
Commentators discourage extending national security crackdowns to ‘soft resistance’ in Hong Kong
The government is considering clamping down on “soft resistance” when drafting the local version of National Security Law (HK-NSL).
New Taiwan TV series tackles sensitive issue of race and makes it to Netflix
A Taiwanese TV series called "Port of Lies", now also showing on Netflix, is addressing one of the most sensitive issues in Taiwan today: Race.
Taiwanese citizens take the nation's defense into their own hands: Interview with scholar Wen Liu
For people in Taiwan living under regular military threats from China, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted queries about the Taiwanese military forces' own readiness and resilience.
A documentary showcases why some Taiwanese consider Southeast Asia a land of opportunity
A documentary portraying a Taiwanese shrimp expert trying to find success in Myanmar tells in a very nuanced way the misperceptions many Taiwanese harbor about Southeast Asia.
The Great Leap Backwards of media in China
To understand the nuances of censorship, state violence, resilience and journalistic courage in China, Global Voices interviewed Cédric Alviani, head of the Taiwan-based office of RSF for East and Southeast Asia.
Kamnotra emerges as the latest platform in a ‘news-starved’ Cambodia
A new website was launched by the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) amid the forced closure of independent media outlets and the dismantling of civic spaces in Cambodia.
Speculations about China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang disappearance from the public eye include alleged affair and power struggle
Beijing has cited unspecific “health reasons” to explain Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang's disappearance from the public eye for over three weeks, yet few believe in this official explanation.
Protests condemn military-appointed senators for ignoring the choice of Thai voters
Thai citizens took to the streets in protest over the last week after military-appointed senators refused to vote for Move Forward Party (MFP) candidate as the country’s next prime minister.
A forensic investigation finds a site that doxxes Hong Kong activists and journalists is likely backed by Beijing
Toronto-based Citizen Lab finds circumstantial evidence that suggests the campaign operators held links to mainland China.
How Chinese students’ aspiration for equality is reflected in the fictional Shanhe University
The students' utopian dream has exposed the dim reality of China's education system and the systemic discrimination against students from poor provinces.
Singapore under the pandemic: The normalisation of digital authoritarianism
"Surveillance has reinforced a culture of self-censorship and fear in Singapore which further mutes public criticism of the government."
Hong Kong pro-democracy exiles not intimidated by China’s arrest warrants and bounties
"Trying to spread fear at home, abroad, and travelling in between. Further incentive to fight for the #rights, #freedom, and #democracy that we deserve"
China uses higher education to increase its influence in North Macedonia
"Probably the most important and long-term strategy for anchoring China’s soft power in North Macedonia is the opening of the Confucius Institute in Skopje, at the oldest and most renowned public university, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in 2013."
Where is Wanchelearm Satsakit? The search for exiled Thai activist abducted in Cambodia
Wanchalearm's case is linked to the disappearance of eight other exiled activists, three of whose dead bodies have been found.
China rolls out new patriotic education law to consolidate its single-party regime
The law aims to enhance patriotism for all Chinese people both within the country and overseas, particularly citizens from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Cambodian Prime Minister quits Facebook after Oversight Board review
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen deleted his official Facebook account after Meta's Oversight Board recommended his account be suspended for six months after he shared a video inciting violence.
A closer look into the urban resistance in Myanmar
Global Voices interviewed the Yangon Revolution Force (YRF) and the Artists Collective about the status and prospect of the urban struggle against the junta.
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