2022/10/27 |
Even Now, Standing Supreme, Xi Has Limits to His Power
The very loyalists that have facilitated Xi Jinping’s rise could yet provide a constraint to his ambition.
2022/12/02 |
‘The Thieves’ Is a Next-Level Heist Film
‘The Thieves’, a Korean heist film released ten years ago this month, is cinema at its best.
2022/06/14 |
Insights From Africa As China Stumbles in the Pacific
Investment, infrastructure, and influence building – what worked for China before may not again elsewhere.
2022/11/15 |
2022 Golden Horse Asian Cinema Observer Report: Part 1
Our film critic CJ Sheu was at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival to review nominees for the Asian Cinema Observer Recommendation Prize. Here he gives the first of a two-part survey of the films, including entries from Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
2022/10/28 |
‘August at Akiko’s’ Calmly Reflects on Hawai‘i’s Colonial Trauma
Trauma and dispossession are at the heart of ‘August at Akiko’s’. But a soaring jazz score and sweeping cinematography suggest new directions and the possibility of moving on.
2022/01/21 |
Japan’s Low-tech World
A glacial move towards digitalization has left much of the country’s workforce and public services in the last century.
2022/06/01 |
As the World Sanctions Russia, China Takes Note
China’s reliance on the West and its capacity to withstand sanctions will be reduced if it has more control over the financial system. While it is working towards becoming less economically dependent on the West, it is not there yet.
2022/02/18 |
Okinawa’s Vocal Anti-US Military Base Movement
Environmental damage and gendered violence are flashpoints on the tiny island dominated by US troops.
2022/08/25 |
Will Thailand’s Prime Minister Defy Time?
Despite being suspended as prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha still holds the powerful position of Defense minister and will continue to attend cabinet meetings.
2022/07/20 |
What a Waste! Japan’s Food Sustainability Challenge
Imported food has an environmental cost. A nationwide effort is needed to drastically cut the amount discarded.
2022/03/04 |
China Needs To Rethink Its Russia Policy
Beijing may find it difficult to handle this troublesome “no limits” partner.
2022/09/15 |
‘Mama Boy’ Is an Excellent Film With the Wrong Tone
A talented cast with an intriguing story of a sex worker and her client is undermined by a rmismatched tone of romantic fantasy.
2022/10/05 |
Hot Button Issue: North Korea’s Bold New Nuclear Stance
Regional leaders would do well to focus on engagement with Pyongyang after missile launches set a dangerous precedent.
2022/03/17 |
How the ‘Two Myanmars’ View the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The split mirrors Myanmar’s military and political differences.
2022/09/01 |
Japan’s Women Lawmakers Remain Seated
Japan’s celebration of record high number of women who won seats in the upper house may not stand up to close scrutiny.
2022/04/07 |
Ukraine War: How Russian Propaganda Dominates Chinese Social Media
In China’s cyberspace, Russian propaganda continues to influence the discourse over the war in Ukraine. Experts say the efforts could be Beijing’s attempt to trigger anti-Western sentiments.
2022/01/26 |
Myanmar Tumbles Into the Abyss
The Myanmar army’s capacity to consolidate its rule appears more fragile than ever, with so many new armed groups now taking up to the fight to the military regime and its representatives.