Blog
Asia Life
Sports, culture and the arts are a passion for billions in the Asia-Pacific, and offer unique insights into what makes countries here tick. From the latest cricket match to prize-winning novels and the latest art exhibitions, The Diplomat's bloggers cover it all, giving you a fresh perspective on the region.
Pu’er Tea: Worth Its Weight in Silver
By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Yunnan, the city of Pu’er is renowned for producing some of the country’s most prestigious and expensive tea.
Explaining India’s Olympics Performance
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
Why does India has such a hard time winning Olympic medals?
Awes-truck: Indian Trucks Ride to Fame
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The art and slogans found on Indian trucks are receiving growing attention.
Bananas on the Lancang: Grown in Yunnan, Destined for Shanxi
By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
Along the banks of the Lancang in Yunnan, bananas grown from the river’s water are part of a complex network of national trade.
The Potential Dark Side of China's Art and Antiquities Boom
By Deborah Lehr and Katie Paul
China has come to dominate the art and antiquities market. Now it must take up the burden of protecting these treasures.
China’s Summer Soccer Spree
By Timothy Stafford
Chinese investors are snapping up mid- to lower-tier English soccer clubs, hoping to find the next Leicester City.
Dredging the Lancang River
By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
In Simaogang, a small fleet of sand dredgers work from sunrise to sunset, shipping river sand to construction sites around Yunnan.
Why Do So Many People Assume China's Athletes Are Cheaters?
By Shannon Tiezzi
The Sun Yang-Mack Horton spat is just the latest incident to cast aspersions on a Chinese athlete.
Matt Damon Film Sparks New Round of 'Whitewashing' Controversy
By David Volodzko
Actress Constance Wu calls out The Great Wall for casting non-Asian actors in the starring roles.
Counting Castes in India
By Krzysztof Iwanek
An Indian government commission is trying to make sense of the caste data.
The Packaging of Culture: Dai Along the Lancang
By Luc Forsyth and Gareth Bright
Spread across China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, the Dai are at the crossroads of tradition and the modern world.
Preserving Cambodia’s Artistic Heritage
By Jonathan DeHart
The Diplomat spoke with art restorer Borany Mam about the efforts to restore Cambodia’s endangered canvases.