HAPPY NEW YEAR

EAST ASIA BLOG WISHES YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
May all your dreams and aspirations come true
Please start your New Year by making a donation to the survivors from the Tsunami in South Asia.

We also look forward to the chinese new year on February 2, 2005. The beginning of the year of the Rooster!

Feliz Ano Nueno!
新年快乐！
Godt Nytaar!

Please donate to UNICEF

Please help the thousands of people left stranded, sick and homeless after the horrible disaster on the 26th of December.

UNICEF has always been cookiesap's top choice in disaster and humanitarian relief.

Your dollar can save lives!!!!

A horrible day in South and South East Asia

More than 11,500 people have been killed across southern Asia in massive sea surges triggered by the strongest earthquake in the world for 40 years.

BBC

Link to article

Seoul completes fertilizer aid to N.K.

South Korea sent the final shipment of its additional fertilizer aid to North Korea Tuesday, completing 300,000 tons of aid for this year, Red Cross officials said.

Korea Herald

Article Link

Are fertilizer, or any other aid to North Korea, justifyable?
Will the North Korean people benefit from this?

2004: China's coming out party

For years, specialist China-watchers have been predicting that the wider world would one day wake up to the country's global economic influence and superpower potential.

2004 was the year when it happened.

Mary Hennock
BBC News business reporter
Article Link

Will China continue to grow and become a world superpower?
Is that fortunate?

Chinese police arrest 3 leading intellectuals

BEIJING The Chinese police on Monday detained three leading intellectuals who have been critical of the government, apparently stepping up a campaign to silence public dissent.

By Joseph Kahn The New York Times
In International Herald Tribune
Monday, December 13, 2004

Article Link

Is this an appetizer of Hu's code of conduct for the next 5 years?
What else along these lines can we expect before the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

Taiwan poll result set to cool China tensions

Rising tensions with China looked set to ease temporarily after Taiwan's pro-independence ruling coalition failed to win a majority in legislative elections at the weekend.

By Kathrin Hille in Taipei
Financial Times
Dec. 12, 2004

Given the most recent step for reconciliation between Taiwan and PRC - will this eliminate the prospects of an independent Taiwan?

Japan's New Military Focus: China and North Korea Threats

TOKYO, Dec. 10 - Japan adopted plans Friday to shift its military focus away from the cold-war threat of invasion from the Soviet Union to guarding against missiles from North Korea and Chinese incursions around its southernmost islands.


By James Brooke, NY Times

Link

Opposition wins Taiwan elections

(BBC)Taiwan's opposition alliance has defeated President Chen Shui-bian's DPP party in parliamentary elections.

11 December 2004

Complete article

Is this another step backwards for an independent Taiwan?
How will this election affect the geo-political situation in East Asia?

World AIDS Day marked by grim warning to China

PARIS (AFP) - The murderous advance of AIDS (news - web sites) was commemorated around the world in pledges, appeals, processions and concerts, but the day was stamped by China's warnings about its exposure to the epidemic.

Full Article

Yahoo/AFP. December 1st. 2004.

Are we doing enough to Fight AIDS?
Is Asia prepared for an AIDS epidemic?

Happy AIDS Day!!