Asia by Blog is a twice weekly feature, usually posted on Monday and Thursday, providing links to Asian blogs and their views on the news in this fascinating region. Previous editions can be found here.

For tsunami relief information, please see the Tsunami Help blog.

This edition contains first hand reports on the tsunami recovery efforts, exams, tax and tipping in China, Mao's grandkids, train riding Smurfs, bulls in Japan, curbing malaria without DDT plus plenty more...

The official results are up for the 2004 Asia Blog Awards.

The round-up has four five key areas of focus:

• Tsunami
• China, Taiwan & Hong Kong
• Korea & Japan
• South-East & Other Asia
• Miscellany

Asian Earthquake and Tsunami

• Arthur Chrenkoff's prolific Tsunami Updates series continues with the latest news and links on the recovery efforts.
• Charlatans are getting in on the act.
• A (WARNING: graphic) first hand account of disaster relief on Phuket (via HKMacs): Day 1 and Day 2.
• Burmese workers in Thailand have been doubly hit.
• Agam's Gecko has plenty - just keep scrolling.
• The Diplomad has been "at the coalface" and lists the "good guys" in the relief effort: Part 1 and Part 2.
• The full collection of the excellent Tsunami-related posts by Amit Varma are collected here. Also check this list of lessons learnt.
• Indonesian fears of an East Timor style intervention have lead to a deadline for foreign militaries operating in Aceh. And religion is getting mixed in the mess as well.
• Josh has a first hand report from a memebr of the Korean medical team in Aceh.
• Sean takes a hard look at the long-term rebuilding projects and their ability to quickly transform into boondoggles.

China, Taiwan and Hong Kong

• The always interesting ESWN looks at the link between the Asia Blog Awards, John Ashcroft and the aborted LINK REIT.
• Is Zhao Ziyang dead? Officially not. The former protege of Deng Xiapong was outsted after the events of June 1989. Since then he's been under house arrest while the CCP tries to figure out what to do when Zhao dies in order to prevent another repeat.
• You don't need to bother grading exams in China - just wait to be told the correct scores.
• Tung Che-hwa's policy address contained at least one surprise.
• The solution to both HK's traffic and budget woes.
• Meet some of HK's worst exports.
• Jeremy isn't impressed by Francis Fukuyama's essay on China.
• Bingfend isn't impressed by the China Business News.
• It's not easy being a Chinese flight attendant.
• Mr. Tall's daughter navigates the HK Kindergarten admissions system.
• MM links to two posts on Taiwan's democracy and America's position in cross-Straits relations.
• Tax and tipping in China.
• Is China's propaganda machine opening a new front to discredit dissidents?
• Will inflation spell the end of China's cheap labour? (via Fons)
• Meet Mao's and Chiang's grandkids.
• Richard looks at China's proposed anti-secession law.
• More entries in the Xinhua babe club (China Daily too). Maybe they could start a cafe?
• Is China going to eat the Earth out of house and home?
• Koreans learn the meaning of "free speech" in China. And don't hold your breath for an apology either.
• The approach of Chinese New Year also heralds the approach of theft season. Matt, John and Sam all related their stories.
• More on the growing gap between rich and poor in China.
• For the picture buffs, another stunning collection of China photos from 1988 (via SP).

Korea and Japan

• If you're riding South Korean trains, you could be in for a blue surprise.
• Sometimes accidents do happen. And sometimes they don't.
• Should the North Korean leadership be granted amnesties for the greater good? Andrei Lankov's article and Marmot's interesting take.
• Sex, lies and English teachers.
• Clearly Japan needs Matadors.

SE and Other Asia

• A guide to the key institutions, players and future trends in Pakistan.
• It's not always jihadis. Sometimes tax defaulters are the terrorists.
• India's legal system isn't working, so the people revert to alternatives. The post includes this great line: If ‘there are no atheists in foxholes,’ I’d add that there are no pure libertarians in developing nations. (via Sepia Mutiny)
• Singapore's blogging elite had brunch and beer. Fine looking bunch.
• It's good to be an ex-President.
• Visit a Vietnamese wedding.
• Speaking English well in India does not equate to intelligence, and vice versa.
• Or try the Tiger Temple of Thailand.
• How Vietnam curbed malaria without DDT.
• Steve McDermott continues his discussion on education in Singapore (the original post that started it all is here).
• Singapore's media does not get blogging.

Miscellany

• Andres interviews Running Dog as part of his continuing profile series.
• Accupuncture is getting standardised.
• Asiapundit is on the way.