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.

The round-up has four key areas of focus:

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

China, Taiwan and Hong Kong

• Is China's economy overvalued? Tyler Cowen also points out China's looming pension crisis but misses a vital point: China hasn't really ever had a pension system. That said China's never had so a demographic imbalance between young and old, not to mention between male and female. Perhaps these numbers explain China's high private savings rates.
• Zhao Zhiyang died. Dan Drezner looks at how much China has changed since Tiananmen. ESWN looks at how it has been covered by China's media. The funeral has caused much fuss, with the the authorities and the families still wrangling over the details.
• Hong Kong's Democrats haven't had a good week. Even when they're quiet they do it all wrong. Kelvin also looks at Walkout-gate.
• China's university students can finally marry and have kids.
• It's not scamming, it's betting smart.
• Richard says China has documents to prove Taiwan belongs to it.
• Hong Kong has clamped down on file sharing, arresting a man for using BitTorrent. Amy interviews two Americans involved in BitTorrent for their views.
• Look out, the Colonel is conquering China.
• Roland compares the "prices of life" in various Chinese cities.
• "As safe as banks" is not a Chinese saying. Yet strangely when banking smaller cheques there's far more paperwork.
• Tom looks at the difference between co-operation and collusion between business and HK's Government.
• China's Iraqi hostages were freed and should soon be home.
• The growth in China's internet users has dramatically slowed.
• China is building military bases and listening posts in Pakistan to keep an eye on key (oil) shipping lanes and project its reach in the region.
• China is the world's growth market for nuclear power. Ellen has thoughts on the matter.
• Just as HK's Disneyland is preparing to open, rumours return of a Shanghai version.
• China is finding new ways to erect barriers to cross-border trade, for example in insurance.
• The Betel Nut business in Taiwan...
• A look at China's balancing act in Africa.
• Another clampdown on gambling by Chinese authorities.

Korea and Japan

• The Japanese have invaded China already...with tourists.
• Seoul has a new Chinese name.
• Anyone for golf in Pyongyang?
• Has China asked the North Koreans to admit to their uranium program?
• There is no dancing on the bus in South Korea.
• You don't need to travel to North Korea to see indoctrinated schoolkids - you can do it in Japan.
• Yhe questionable basis of East Asian nationalisms and Infidel's take on the South Korean variety.
• Even North Korea is cottoning on to this private property idea.
• The privitisation of Japan Post, the world's largest financial institution, is still on the radar.

SE and Other Asia

• For all the news and views on the Indian Ocean countries, check out the WoC review.
• The winners of the Indian Bloggies for 2004 have been announced.
• A look at gun rights in India.
• Amit stumbles across plagiarism in the Indian blogosphere, although no doubt the issue is far wider. Then he discovers the fellow who started the whole incident off is engaged in far more nefarious activities.
• Andres profiles Nathan from The Argus. (The Argus is here).
• Bollywood diva Parveen Babi passed away.
• Has offshoring hit America's intelligence activities?
• Some worrying bird flu developments.
• Is it me or are Singapore's Government Linked Companies suspiciously similar to the large Chinese state-owned companies?
• As if they don't have enough to deal with already, but flooding hit Indonesia. Jakartass reports from his home.
• Blogging in Singapore is getting its first Deathmatch.

Miscellany

• Both SF and Phil are getting hassled on the street and are not impressed.
• Don't annoy your ex, it could cost you your (online) life.
• Japanese pencil carving: it's exactly what it says.
• Jodi looks at some key differences between Chinese and Korean men.
• Now you know why you hate camera phones.