by cogitASIA Staff • March 14, 2014
By Jonathan D. London
A Vietnamese woman looks over the terraces of Tavan and Sapa in northern Vietnam, site of a Chinese invasion in 1979. Source: Trilli bagus’ flickr photostream, used under a creative commons license.
Internationally, the rhythms of Vietnam’s political calendar are not frequently discussed. And yet in the context of escalating regional tensions and of fragile efforts to address them, it is worth noting that January, February, and March of each year are months in which Vietnamese political passions toward China burn especially hot. An appreciation of the reasons for this provides insights into Vietnamese perspectives on China’s current assertive tilt and the complexities Hanoi faces in coping with it. Continue reading Vietnam: Days not Forgotten

Children hold signs during one of many worldwide “March Against Monsanto” protests against Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and agrochemicals, in Los Angeles, California October 12, 2013. Photo by Reuters



Nelson Mandela, the prisoner-turned-president who reconciled South Africa after the end of apartheid, died on Thursday, December 5, according to the country’s president, Jacob Zuma. Mandela was 95.