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The Peak is a must-see for every tourist coming to visit Hong Kong. Situated 1,200 feet above sea level, it commands an impressive view of Hong Kong's ultra-modern skyline and of its harbour.  Here British settlers who arrived in the 19th century sought to escape the heat and the crowds of the city. Built on the highest spot in Hong Kong island, the Peak was the very centre and symbol of Western power and of the authority and strength of British rule. Today the Peak is renowned for being the location where one can enjoy the best panoramic view of the world-famous Hong Kong skyline and the harbour. How To Get To The Peak The Peak is not close to the city centre, but it's very easy to reach thanks to the Peak Tram, a funicular tram that was completed in 1888 - in those days a masterpiece of Western technology. Before the construction of the tram, the only way to get there was to "hike up" the steep hill on foot, or to be carried there by local coolies

Leslie Chew, the Singaporean cartoonist behind the popular Facebook page Demon-cratic Singapore, was arrested on Friday for sedition and was released on a S$10,000 (around 6,300 Euros) bail two days later (South China Morning Post 25/04/2013, p. A10). He has been charged with sedition, as defined by Singapore's Sedition Act, for posting on the 27 of March a comic strip that allegedly accused the Singaporean government of racism towards Malay minorities.  The strip, with the subtitle " Malay Population. Deliberately suppressed by a racist government ", depicts a politician saying " We have the some  [sic!]  of the most talented Indians from India, most talented Chinese and most talented Caucasians for companies to tap on ." Someone in the crowd asks: " What? No mention of Malay talents ?" And two others say: " It is no secret that he abhors Malays." "Damn racist government! " Leslie Chew's satiric Facebook page has ov

Pan Jinlian with her master Ximen, the protagonists of the ancient erotic novel "Golden Lotus". To Pan Jinlian's charm belonged her bound feet. Anointed with fragrance, she takes lotus steps; Though often sad, she walks with swift lightness. She dances like the wind, leaving no physical trace. Another stealthily tries on this palace style, but feels such distress when she tries to stand; So wondrously small they defy description, Unless placed in the palm. (Su Shi, 1036-1101 AD,  quoted in: Wang 2000 , p. 29) There is perhaps no better proof that the myth of the harmonious Chinese society has often been manipulated for ideological purposes, than the ancient custom of footbinding. For it is in this custom that we see how the idea of collectivism, as I have described it in one of my previous posts , has been re-interpreted in a misleading way in order to enhance a certain political agenda.  Nowadays, no defender of Asian valu

Yesterday The Sunday Morning Post reported on yet another controversy between the unionist leaders of the dockworkers' strike and Mr. Canning Fok Kin-ning, the managing director of the Hutchison Whampoa group, to which the dock terminals hit by the strike belong. Mr. Canning Fok launched a media attack against unionist lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan, one of the promoters of the strike. On 20 April, the 24th day since the beginning of the strike, Hong Kong International Terminals Ltd. (HIT), which is owned by the Hutchison group, spent estimated HK$1 million to place ads on numerous Hong Kong newspapers and denounce Mr Lee. The only media outlet that was not included in the ads campaign was Apple Daily, the most popular paper in the city. One possible reason why Apple Daily was not considered suitable for being used as a platform by the Hutchison group is that the paper belongs to Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of the Communist Party and an advocate of freedom of speech . " Is

As I mentioned in my previous post , Macau has different faces and identities: there is the old Macau, full of colonial buildings and in which the pace of life seems to resemble a relaxed Mediterranean town rather than a bustling, hectic Chinese city, such as Hong Kong or Shanghai. On the other hand, there is the Macau of gambling, of gigantic hotel and casino resorts, and of prostitution. These two Macaus seem to be spatially separated from each other, with an intact colonial city centre and nice outskirts with small alleys on the one side, and bombastic, modern buildings on the other.  The Galaxy - one of the huge casino and hotel resorts The Importance of Gambling for Macau's Economy Dubbed the 'Monte Carlo of the East', Macau has often been portrayed as the gambling capital of China. Media reporting on Macau tend present pictures of the city's glistening, apparently luxurious skyline. But a visit in Macau suffices to realize that it is fa

As I wrote in a post a week ago, Hong Kong is currently experiencing a social and political reform movement aimed at introducing universal suffrage. Hong Kong has never held fully democratic elections, neither under British rule nor as a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. I find the desire of the people to play a more active role in their community's decision-making process absolutely legitimate. However, not everyone agrees. For instance, in today's edition of the South China Morning Post, Alex Lo, one of the leading columnists of the newspaper, has criticized those who take on the streets to ask for democratic reforms.  " Young men and women, take real risks ," he urged the pro-democratic camp, " Travel the world, read widely, strike out on your own, start a business [...]. Then come back and fight for democracy. " Mr Lo's article is one of those spectacular examples of what I would call  a neoliberal o