For the past week, Taiwan has been gripped by protests ignited by the controversial bills pushed through by the pan-Blue majority in the Legislative Yuan. These demonstrations, which began before President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, have been named the “Bluebird Movement” and compared to the Sunflower Movement, Taiwan’s major case of civil disobedience from a decade… Continue reading Where Have All the Sunflowers Gone? The New Wave of Civil Disobedience in Taiwan
Truong My Lan’s huge fraud scheme reached its peak during Hanoi’s vaunted ‘blazing furnace’ anti-corruption drive. After Truong My Lan was sentenced to death last week over her role in a US$12.5 billion financial fraud case, the consensus appears to be that the Communist Party of Vietnam is offering up a human sacrifice to show that its… Continue reading More damage control than deterrence in death sentence for Vietnam’s $12 billion fraudster
A recent survey of regional elite opinion shows a surprising lack of regional concern about the country’s ongoing conflict. The ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s annual State of Southeast Asian survey dropped last week, heady times for an overstretched columnist. Not so positive, however, if you’re busy battling a barbarous military junta and are looking around for a bit… Continue reading Southeast Asians don’t really care about the Myanmar crisis
While the Myanmar military retains control over major cities like Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw, its authority in Myanmar’s peripheral territories, especially in the north, is questionable at best. Years following the failed military coup, there emerges hope for the democratic resistance. By the conclusion of 2023 and the onset of 2024, Myanmar reached a turning… Continue reading Finding Hope in Chaos: Myanmar Entering its Fourth Year Post-Coup
From afar, Japan is often perceived as a homogenous nation with little ethnic diversity. This perception is further perpetuated and endorsed by the Japanese government. However, throughout history, Japan has been home to various ethnic groups, including the Ryūkyūan and Ainu. According to the 2020 census conducted by the Statistics Bureau of Japan, the population… Continue reading Zainichi Koreans in Japan: Exploring the Ethnic Minority’s Challenges
