Swinging our way across Asia blogging again:

Hong Kong, Taiwan and China

• Tom at DTL finds more proof that Hong Kong's autonomy has been diminished by the central Government. He also says criticism of Google, Yahoo, Nortel and Cisco in "bowing to Chinese censorship demands" is utter cr@p. Glutter has a report on the same issue from a very different perspective.

• Richard notes a further ratcheting up in tensions between China and Taiwan. Joseph, Jodi (who has a poll up on the issue) and Phil both have more and Peking Dork notes a poll on Taiwanese attitudes to China and the US.

• Richard also points to a BBC article on the growing strains on China's petition system, where people can try and appeal decisions of local cadres. ESWN also addresses the issue (and that of wages owed but not paid) in translating a letter to Premier Wen and asking if anything is being achieved? The answer, ESWN says, is it impossible to know due to the nature of China's political system, but time will tell.

• ESWN translates and comments on a book talking about Hong Kongers and their command of languages. He also asks the following question: Is it possible to be convicted of having engaged in two acts of sexual intercourse within twenty minutes in exchange for the promise of money while still being certifiably a virgin afterwards?

• Conrad looks at the ICAC raids on newspapers and arrest of several people in Hong Kong.

• Fons says China is approaching 1/2 million bloggers. Who knew so many could write so much and mean so little? He also says there is another debate over the legitimacy of The Tiananmen Papers.

• ESWN has comprehensive coverage of Taiwan's biggest shoot-out between gang members and police.

• Danwei interviews a novelist, essayist, frequent traveller to India and the editor of Taiwan's Playboy: Lolita Hu.

Korea and Japan

• Korea has now gone too far in its blogging block: it's blocking Munu. Newsweek has a small write-up on the problem: it seems like slowly more attention is getting paid to this issue. That a liberal democracy can ban sites on such a flimsy basis is a real disgrace. The article mentions Marmot and Kevin, who points to this excellent response to calls from some who want even greater surveillance of the Internet.

• Tony has the full Robert Kim story and Jodi has more on various Asian American spies.

• Andi talks about Koreans and sex education.

• North Korea is again dragging the chain over the 6 party talks on its nukes, blaming "US aggression", says ACB and Jodi says North Korea are worrying about a pre-emptive attack by the USA. FY says North Korea leader Kim Jong Il has more to worry about that nukes.

• Marmot reports on the arrival in South Korea of more than 400 defectors from North Korea, by way of Vietnam. He also says Koreans are planning a cyber-attack on China. Good luck.

SE Asia

• Conrad compares the Philippines' response to Australian criticism of its hostage drama with its blather to the Islamic kidnappers themselves. The Sassy Lawyer disagrees with the Australian Foreign Minister. Conrad also says Arroyo scored an own goal, while Marc says appeasement is inflationary. Marc also sees the door opening on the Spratley's dispute. Dean looks at Arroyo's State of the Nation speech and doesn't like it.

• The Sassy Lawyer has links to 3 different views of Filipino families.

• Jodi looks at the relationship between Vietnam and China.

• Macam-Macam says Abu Bakar Ba'asyir will get away with not being charged over the Bali bombings.

Miscellany

• Arthur Chrenkoff rounds up all the good news coming out of Afghanistan.

• Prince Roy is making history from his new diplomatic posting in India. It seems to have some nice fringe benefits.

• Adam says there's a new book coming out written in SMS texting. No word yet if it will be translated into languages those over 30 can understand.

• If haven't yet, go eat a Big Mac and help ALN establish its alternative Big Mac index.