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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.
Has Taiwanese Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage Changed?
By Timothy S. Rich and Isabel Eliassen
Over a year since legalization, how have public opinions in Taiwan shifted around the question of same-sex marriage?
Human Rights Groups Ask IOC to Move 2022 Olympics Out of China
By Associated Press
In a letter, the group asked the IOC to "reverse its mistake in awarding Beijing the honor of hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 2022."
Is the Managed Retreat Plan for the Sundarbans Misguided?
By Debjani Bhattacharyya and Megnaa Mehtta
Planners need to look beyond technocratic solutions as they rise to the challenges posed by climate change.
Who Is the Real Mulan?
By Jessie Lau
The current film has sparked a fierce fight over Mulan’s soul: what she should represent, both as a symbol for women and for Chinese-ness.
Meet Narmak, Creator of the Viral SpongeBob Anime Suponjibobu
By Layne Vandenberg
Narmak’s viral SpongeBob anime is built upon organic influences of both Western and Eastern cultures on his work.
More Than Rising Water: Living Tenuously in the Sundarbans
By Debjani Bhattacharyya and Megnaa Mehtta
A plan for managed retreat of populations from the delta ignores the human cost.
No Future for the Children of Asylum Seekers in Hong Kong
By Yen Nguyen
Hong Kong has one of the lowest acceptance rates for asylum seekers in the developed world. For minors, that means a future defined only by uncertainty.
Douglas Latchford: The Man Who Pillaged Cambodia
By Tess Davis
Latchford leaves behind a dark legacy of looting and cultural destruction, which will long outlive him.
Not Free to Choose: Restrictions on the Freedom of Conscience of India’s Dalits
By StoriesAsia
A section of Indian society is being forced to choose between religious beliefs on one hand and protections and special benefits under the law on the other.
Malaysian State of Kelantan Seeks to Make Folk Drama Shariah Compliant
By Asif Ullah Khan
The PAS-led state government wants to “correct” the “un-Islamic” parts of Main Puteri, an indigenous Kelantanese dance form.
Who Tells the Stories of India’s Countryside?
By Krzysztof Iwanek
A majority of Indians live in villages. There are websites that allow us to have a glimpse of their life.
75 Years Later, 1 Million Japanese War Dead Still Missing
By Associated Press
The missing Japanese make up about half of the 2.4 million soldiers who died overseas during Japan's military rampage across Asia.