Visions of AsiaSeeing things differently.
The journal / Visions of Asia
Prior to the pandemic, the Hong Kong International Airport was one of the busiest in the world, mainly catering to crowds moving to and from China. It was one of those regional hubs, handling 71.9 million passengers in 2019. Today, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport survives by being an airport in minimalist mode. Entrance […]
Grandma Wong is a well-known figure of the Hong Kong protests. With her full name Alexandra Wong, she has often been seen in 2019 at the forefront of protests with a British flag. Born in 1956, and aged 64, the lady (who does not have children and is thus not a grandmother) moved to Shenzhen […]
After passing the National Security Law, on July 1st, China set out to radically transform the political landscape of Hong Kong. Although many hailed the law as the death knell for Hong Kong, it appears today that it was only the prelude and the mechanism by which to inflict “death by a thousand cuts” for […]
On 24 May 2020, the day started with a failed attempt to mobilize protesters against the national anthem bill. This attempt was foiled by a huge police deployment in Causeway Bay and Admiralty and mass arrests. Despite this, protesters managed nevertheless to create a fiery night in Mongkok. Difficult mobilization New police tactics at work […]
The enactment of a national security law directly by China has placed Hong Kong in the eye of the tiger. Namely, Beijing has now direct control over freedom of expression and activities in what was once an autonomous city. As a direct consequence of this takeover by China, the July 1st protests (which generally was […]
Hong Kong had a tradition of commemorating the Tienanmen massacre every year on 4th June. This year, the Hong Kong government refused a letter of no objection to hold the protest in Victoria Park. Despite this, hundreds of protesters flooded the park, entering to hold their traditional vigil, hence keeping a flickering light alive for […]
When China announced its intention of bypassing the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (its mini-parliament) to impose a national security law, everybody understood HK was being in the line of fire. It so happened, that it was not only the city that was in the line of fire over the week-end, but also some of […]
After a long lull for cause of coronavirus fears, last week-end the Hong Kong protests resumed, albeit in a very subdued form. Triggered by a coup de force in the Legco on Friday, protesters responded somewhat timidly to the call to action. While protesters played rather the role of the small nuisance in Mongkok, the […]
Since the beginning of 2020, the Hong Kong protests have focused on the “8 31 attacks” and the culture of outrage that is becoming a focal point of protesters. It did not help that police always reacts with overwhelming force and irritation to these “commemorations”. What are the “8 31 attacks”? On August 31, 2019, […]
Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, has been photographed so many times that it has become another symbol of Tokyo. It becomes quite another thing when you go on the street. A rainy night in Shibuya is quite the experience and mixes glimpses of cyberpunk experience with slices of life. You must just be willing to get […]