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

This edition contains a new blog from restricted Nepal, the aftermath of NK's nuke announcement, the Chinese Last Supper, the EU arms embargo on China, a Hello Kitty stress meter, the new Communi$t Party plus much more...

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

• Welcome to the new Communi$t Party.
• Chinese industrial espionage in the USA. And the CIA report on China's rise, which Richard sees as baiting and pandering to the right. Others say the statement was a mistake.
• Some background and history on author Eileen Chang by the son of her agent and friend.
• The last supper with Chinese characteristics.
• Forget Superbowl ads. Now American beer companies are bringing you Chinese propaganda.
• China's gone to the dogs.
• China's demand for tissue and toilet paper is causing shortages.
• A critique of a study of educational differences between rural and urban Chinese.
• The French are arguing lifting of the EU arms embargo will stymie China's advanced weapon systems development because they'll be buying it from Europe instead. Winston Marshall has a far more detailed and nuanced look at the issue.
• The city of Guiyang is fighting back against the scourge of female infantcide and selective abortion.
• Is the US$7,000 car on the way?
• China's campaign against porn continues. Meanwhile official media keep pumping out the babes.
• Another massive coal mine disaster.
• A great set of China photos (via CDN).

Korea and Japan

• Japan and Russia are getting cosier in response to the perceived threat from China. Is this the early 1900s all over again? The end of Japan's aid program in China is also coming, not co-incidently there is also a flare-up over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. It's part of racheting up of the tensions between the two countries.
• NK declares they have nukes. But why now (another take is here)? The South Koreans don't believe it and the Chinese aren't impressed. An anonymous NK official tries to rationalise their declaration. Marmot was all over the media punditry and reaction. The attempt to drive a wedge between the other members of the 6 party talks has also backfired, although it is a sign the talks have been a failure. Some say the Bush Administration wanted the 6 party talks to fail, which makes little sense given the effort involved. An insider sees it as a sign of desperation. Jonathan Dresner argues for "pragmatic inconsistency".
• The US is perfecting its North Korean sanctions toolkit. Maybe using capitalism? Those crafty North Koreans have even managed to turn American food aid into a propaganda victory.
• Happy birthday, Mr Kim. Or is that Mini-me?
• Japanese's language problems.
• What do American hardliners and North Korea have in common?
• Is Japan's rising nationalism a threat?
• Japan's love hotel industry boasts a 260% occupancy rate and 500 million couples visit a year. No wonder the economy's in the doldrums - they're all too busy having nooky.
• Some North Korean announcements you might have missed.
• Some details for Westerners on working in Japan.

SE and Other Asia

• Radio Free Nepal - a new blog with this intro:King Gyandendra of Nepal has issued a ban on independent news broadcasts and has threatened to punish newspapers for reports that run counter to the official monarchist line. Given that any person in Nepal publishing reports critical of "the spirit of the royal proclamation" is subject to punishment and/or imprisonment, contributors to this blog will publish their reports from Nepal anonymously. (via Joel, Rconversations and Buzz Machine)
• Monogolia has adopted a second official language: English.
• The Wall St Journal is wrong on Pakistan's President.
• Cowboy Caleb has an amusing interview with Mr. Brown.
• Salman Rushdie - democracy is not a tea party.
• Bali's land politics.

Miscellany

• Japan's chin-dong bands - proof they are the goofiest nation on Earth.
• If she doesn't stress you out, Hello Kitty can check your stress levels.
• Sometimes people need to really think about their logos.
• The successor to the Little evil angel's bra, complete with key.