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.
The Art of Asian Crafts
By Layne Vandenberg
Traditional Asian craft art forms -- ceramics, porcelain, lacquer, and jewelry -- are being upheld and interpreted by contemporary artists.
How Have Women Leaders Shaped South Asia’s Politics?
By Allia Bukhari
South Asia has elected its share of prominent women politicians. But what has that meant for gender equality and women's rights on the ground?
In Hong Kong, COVID-19 and Racism Make an Ugly Mix
By Jessie Lau
In Hong Kong, the pandemic has fanned the flames of a more silent epidemic: systematic racism.
Australia to Kill Pigeon that Crossed Pacific from Oregon
By Associated Press
Named after the U.S. president-elect, the world-traveler is now at the mercy of Australia's strict quarantine service.
Spell It Out: Should English Transcription of Indian Words Be Reformed?
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The British colonial government never worked out a coherent and precise way of spelling Indian names.
Official Costs of Tokyo Olympics Up by 22% to $15.4 billion
By Associated Press
The Olympics are to open on July 23, 2021.
Taiwanese Horror Game ‘Devotion’ Gets Pulled Again Over Chinese Objections
By Nick Aspinwall
Online game store GOG canceled a plan to re-release the game, which drew controversy last year over an Easter egg comparing Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh.
New Collectors Boost Chinese Public Art Fairs
By Layne Vandenberg and Layne Vandenberg
Galleries and artists are adapting to a new generation of collectors emerging in the Chinese art scene.
Pakistan: Reporting in a Pandemic
By Tehreem Azeem
Amid COVID-19, Pakistani journalists are looking for training to help them counter misinformation and stay safe while reporting.
Ang Lee on ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ 20 Years Later
By Associated Press
An international co-production filmed in China and shot in Mandarin, it still ranks, easily, as the most successful non-English language film ever in the U.S.
In ’76 Days’, a Documentary Portrait of Lockdown in Wuhan
By Associated Press
Hao Wu's documentary offers a raw and vital examination of the first steps in the contagion's global march.
‘World’s Loneliest Elephant’ Arrives Safely in Cambodia
By Associated Press
Kaavan, a 1985 gift from Sri Lanka to Pakistan, had lived since 2012 all alone in a Pakistani zoo after his partner died.