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.

**Notes:
1. The new Daily Linklets posts will also contain links to interesting China, Asia and other news and views. Some of the below links come from the Daily Linklets series.

2. Today I've put the entire post on the main page, rather than pushing the body into the extended entry. Any feedback on preferred formats or any other feedback or comments (such as what style of links/stories/information you find most useful or interesting) is greatly appreciated. /Note**

This edition contains America's rising standing in Indonesia, the LA Times as North Korea's newest mouthpiece, Hong Kong's change of leadership, loggerheads between Malaysia and Indonesia, anti lip-syncing laws, North Korea versus Boing Boing 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

• China's economic numbers don't add up.
• Hong Kong's Chief Executive is to retire (plenty of other links and coverage from there). China is using the occassion to indulge their love of gambling.
• Mozilla is coming to China.
• Howard French describes the battle between China's net censors and netizens.
• GM for HK.
• A collection of Chinese art propaganda.
• A NPC deputy wants to "draft a culture law with Chinese socialist characteristics, to out-law lip-syncing." China would never go in for mouthpieces shouting lines off a pre-recorded track...unless they are politicians. More quirky lawmaking.
• China is enacting its anti-succession law. The best comment on the law goes to Johnny Lau Yui-sui of Hong Kong: "In the case of wars, laws are just 'wrappings'. Laws are usually put aside and it's the political situations that decide [whether to resort to force]."
• China's intentions on the floating of the yuan are becoming clearer.
• Join a debate on US-China relations.
• A review of China Inc. by Ted Fishman (book available at Amazon).
• You can't stop progress. The 2,000 year old farm tax is coming to an end.
• The fight over China's piracy problem now extends to the heart of iPods. The NYT covers the same ground on patents in China.
• Don't breakup over the internet.
• Morning Sun: a slick website backing the film on the Cultural Revolution.
• In China, PR companies pay journalists to come to press conferences (via Danwei).
• Learn about business from the PLA, one of China's largest businesses armies.
• What a way to deal with China's aging population: get them selling pirated p0rn DVDs.

Korea and Japan

• The LA Times ran a much lambasted story on North Korea. Leading the charge was Hugh Hewitt who emailed the reporter, with Powerline, Vodkapundit, Winds of Change, Captain's Quarters and others all adding to the mix. Marmot contrasts the media messages of North Korea, L'Ombre de l'Oliver wonders why the LA Times is running unedited North Korean propaganda, while Tim Worstall relates a personal story demonstrating North Korea's fragile economy. But there's an alternative view that is supportive of the article.
• A South Korean professor praises Japan's imperial rule of Korea, and is forced to resign. So much for independent thought and tenure.
• Are we heading towards a China/North Korea split?
• The North Koreans might be able to take on China, Japan, South Korea and the USA, but they can't mess about with Boing Boing.
• Japan has reached agreement with Germany, India and Brazil on pushing for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
• Japan is cutting its development aid to China.
• Some South and North Koreans are trying to reunify the Koreas on their own.
• Plumb blossom season in Japan.
• Don't come between a Japnese woman and her Louis Vuitton handbag.

SE and Other Asia

• Indonesia and Malaysia are clashing over an offshore border claim. Of course it involves oil. The militaries on both sides are getting involved and suddenly their are tensions between these two neighbours. At the same time Malaysian is cracking down on (predominately Indonesian and including refugees) illegal immigrants while Indonesia drags it heels in response.
• Singapore Ink weighs in the Singapore casino argument and fisks the ST at the same time.
• US Navy reforms helped in the tsunami relief effort and the favourable impact of the US efforts in bolstering its image in Indonesia. Arthur Chrenkoff has more on the improved standing of America in Indonesia, as does OTB, Macam-Macam and Peaktalk. Alturism pays.
• The US State Department Human Rights Report hightlighted plenty of abuses in SE Asia, especially Myanmar.

Miscellany

• Some self-help titles for China.
• For the man who has everything...
• To celebrate International Women's Day, a look at how unhappy Asian women are with their looks. When is International Men's Day?
• Some pictures defy any understanding, cultural barriers or not.