Asia Insight

In 2013, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded struck the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying some 1 million homes. Typhoon Haiyan was soon followed by a social scourge; human traffickers moved in to the affected areas to prey on disaster victims. A government task force is combating the traffickers, who are using ever more cunning methods. We go to the front lines to investigate the new menace facing typhoon-hit areas.

In recent years, Taiwan has been attracting more and more immigrants from Hong Kong. Affordable housing is just one benefit the region has to offer, and the number of residency applications has greatly increased, particularly from applicants in their 30's and 40's. What is it that convinces Hong Kong citizens at the height of their careers to relocate their entire families? We look at the motivations for this bold change, and the challenges they face in the process.

Chongqin in Southwest China is famous for its delicious hot pot dish, full of rich and spicy ingredients. The profit margin for vendors, however, is relatively small, leading to the use of dubious ingredients ranging from waste oil to deceptively fresh looking meat. In October 2015, the government implemented a tough revision to the country's food safety law holding all parties involved in food production and sales legally responsible. Hot pot restaurants and street vendors have been forced to clean up their act with some taking innovative approaches. We tell the story of several hot pot businesses as they try to adapt to the new regulations.

In the harsh Mongolian winter, temperatures can reach 40℃ below zero, an impossible climate for cultivating fruits and vegetables. To meet the growing demand from consumers for fresh domestically grown produce, the government recently initiated a winter-greenhouse scheme to support farmers who want to grow all year round. We follow the tentative efforts of the Mongolian farmers who are hoping to benefit from this innovative project.

Within the bustling activity and prosperous economy of Beijing, China's young men are facing a new challenge: solitude. Men born during the "one-child policy" have been raised with such singular attention that they find themselves lacking understanding of the female heart, and unable to find a spouse. Women, meanwhile, are putting an emphasis on their careers, with less incentive to settle down. A new market is springing up to impart social skills to this young generation of men. In this episode, we take a look at the hurdles faced by China's generation of only children when facing marriage.

Boracay, a small island in the Philippines, is experiencing a boom in tourism thanks to the reputation of its White Beach as one of the most beautiful seashores in all of Asia. However, its growing popularity has been accompanied by a major problem: The natural coral that is a key to maintaining the white sands is being rapidly diminished by factors such as the resulting pollution. We follow a group of scientists and residents literally fighting the tide for the sake of Boracay's natural environment.

Asian city state Singapore is facing a severe shortage of… graveyards. The country stretches only 42 km from east to west, and 23 km from north to south, but has a population of 5.5 million. Since achieving independence in 1965, the Singapore government has drastically reduced the number of graveyards from over 200 to just 60. Historical villages, farming communities, and graveyards have all been demolished to make way for social infrastructure aimed at driving economic growth. In 1998, a new government policy was introduced to limit use of burial plots to a maximum of 15 years. Now, over 80% of Singaporeans choose cremation. As part of its efforts to promote cremation, the government has been setting up state-run columbaria to house the ashes of the dead, but super-luxurious, private facilities have also emerged, and the field is taking off. Discover the many unique aspects of graves, government, and progress in the city state of Singapore.

Singapore focused early on the economic benefits of medical tourism. Today it welcomes 700,000 foreign patients every year. In 2014, a new medical facility was built here that is integrated with a five-star hotel. It can provide world-class, cutting-edge medical equipment and hospital meals prepared by top hotel chefs in a unique premium offering. Now in 2016, the Singapore government has announced massive investment into the medical industry and it continues to gather top talent from around the world. Research facilities centered around the Biopolis complex employ around 5,000 researchers. They do R&D on medicine and vaccines, but also examine areas like nutrition specifically for the Asian physique. Join us to explore the various strategies Singapore is using to become the medical hub of Asia.

Competition for employment in China among university graduates is becoming fierce as many vie for placements at leading corporations. Some, however, are seeking different paths with less focus on social status and job security. We follow the lives of 3 graduates who are contributing to the environment and culture, as they attempt to pave the way for a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Economic development in China has seen a growth in the tourism business. In 2015 alone, roughly 120 million Chinese traveled overseas from mainland China and ranked as the highest spending tourists in the world for the 4th consecutive year. However, many countries require that Chinese tourists meet certain conditions before entry visas are issued and it is travel agencies that assist tourists in the obtaining of these visas. In this episode of Asia Insight, we take a look at the Shanghai branch of Spring Tours, one of China's largest travel agencies.

In the 1960's, Cambodia was a peaceful and prosperous country; various forms of art flourished, and more than 300 domestic movies were made during this decade. With the rise of the Pol Pot regime in the 1970's, the country was thrown into turmoil and much cultural heritage was lost. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the efforts to restore movies from Cambodia's Golden Age of Cinema, in the hope of creating a new culture for the future.

In Thailand, there are currently nearly 5,000 companies producing Muslim-friendly Halal products and the government is pushing to expand production to boost export earnings.

In March of 2015, the word "Internet Plus" first came into use in China, encouraging new economic development by seamlessly integrating financial services into the internet. Cottage industries sprung up almost immediately as both consumers and entrepreneurs responded hungrily to the opportunity. Join us as we take a look at the diverse uses of Internet Plus, and the flexibility it has delivered to the lives of Chinese people.

The commercial city of Ho Chi Minh, the largest in Vietnam, the source of new cultural trends. There is a man known as "King" for producing fashion models.

Each weekend, hundreds of people gather in public locations in Shanghai to exchange financial speculation in what is known as the "street stock salon". The so-called forecasters lack formal certification, but their energetic predictions draw countless onlookers, many of whom are seeking to recover from China's massive stock market crash of 2015.

Around a fifth of Mongolia's population is employed part-time or full-time in livestock farming and it is also the world's 2nd largest producer of raw cashmere, responsible for 40% of the global output. In spite of Mongolia's abundance of raw cashmere, it suffers from a shortage of facilities to manufacture products for sale.

In recent years a new term has been popularized among the youth of South Korea: "abandoned generation". New graduates face harsh odds competing for coveted positions at large firms, in a society where their social station is intrinsically linked to the size of their employer. Suicides among youth are especially high, and those who are not among the chosen few to attain elite positions are treated as failures. This episode follows the young men and women of South Korea who toe the line between success and failure.

As the opening day nears for Shanghai Disneyland, the first Disney theme park in mainland China, a wave of excitement grips the country's avid fans. This interest in what was until recently an agricultural zone on the outskirts of the city has translated into a major windfall for local landowners, who see the value of their plots increased several times over. Those that give up their land are granted sudden wealth. Meanwhile, ambitious entrepreneurs adapt in their own way, staking their fortunes on the success of the park. This episode looks into the opportunities, challenges, and troubles accompanying Disney's long-awaited arrival in Shanghai.

Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta is said to be the most congested city in the world. Although it has a population of around 10 million, it still lacks an adequate public transport system. Motorbikes are the quickest way to get around and this has led to a helpful new innovation: a smartphone application through which customers can conveniently book motorbike taxis.

Residents of China raised in the one-child policy generation are now giving birth to a new generation, which they hope will be even more successful than their own.

Near the heart of South Korean capital Seoul, is Seongmisan Maeul - a community network in the national spotlight. Made up of 6,000 families, the community is notable for a range of restaurants, stores and other businesses co-funded by residents. Members of the network discuss their community's day-to-day needs, and work together to realize the ideas and proposals they come up with. This scheme began in 1994 when 25 dual-income couples decided to co-fund a childcare center to give their kids the best start in life. Now, some 22 years later, there are over 70 resident-led businesses and groups, and even a school that formulates its own curriculum.

In the shadow of rapid economic development, the use of illegal drugs has become a serious social issue in China. In fact, the number of recreational drug users apprehended in 2015 rose by 20% in just 1 year to 1.06 million. Professional social workers assist these addicts in their reintegration into society, although encouraging former users to stay away from drugs can be a difficult process. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the efforts of social workers aiming to get former drug users back on track.

South Korea is famous as a hotspot for the beauty industry, and the number of children using cosmetics is soaring. Research shows that over half of female junior and senior high school students have used makeup, with 70% of them starting at junior high, and the trend even having spread to elementary schools.

In China, a country known for its restrictions on media, a new wave of ambitious young men and women is bucking the trend as "Wang Hong", or internet stars. Using video streaming to engage viewers directly, the best among them earning recognition and revenue gained from gifts sent by their devoted fans. At the same time, they struggle to gain acceptance from the older generation. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the aspirations of internet-based creators as they appear on the international scene.

One civic group based in Myanmar's capital Yangon provides a unique form of social service. The Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS) carries out memorial services for any family too poor to afford one. They also run free health clinics, offer vocational training, and provide disaster support.

The biggest city in the Russian Far East, Vladivostok, gave birth to a new opera and ballet theater in October 2013. The very first International Mariinsky Far East Festival was held at this theater during the summer of 2016, and Valery Gergiev served as the festival's artistic director. The world's top class artists, along with the young artists at the theater gave performances for 12 days. We followed these dedicated artists who are given a rare opportunity to perform on the big stage, as well as the citizens for whom this festival was something very special.

As China experiences ongoing economic decline, housing costs in Beijing now surpass those of New York and according to an April 2016 announcement from the UK's Global Cities Business Alliance, they are now the most expensive in the world. The rise in prices has made it difficult for migrants in particular to purchase their own homes and many people are moving to the suburbs in search of affordable properties. However, there is a serious imbalance between cost and value. On this episode of Asia Insight, we take a look at ever-spiraling housing costs in Beijing.

In June 2016, Russia's parliament enacted a remarkable new policy: The Far East One Hectare Law grants all Russian citizens the right - free of charge - to one hectare of land in the vast, undeveloped Far East. The law, a pet policy of President Vladimir Putin, is aimed at reversing population decline and promoting economic development. This program looks at how people - young and old - are responding to this unprecedented offer.

It is a little known fact that Singapore has had a long battle in delivering sufficient water to its citizens. Using state of the art technology, the country is deeply committed to achieving its goal of an independent water supply. One such innovation is NEWater, which uses wastewater from homes and factories and is transformed into water pure enough to drink. It already accounts for 30% of the water used and there are hopes that by 2060, this figure will rise to 55%. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow Singapore's efforts to save precious water and secure an independent domestic water supply.

Chongqing, located by the Yangtze River, was once densely packed with rows of shops, connected by streets too narrow for cars to travel. Deliveries were performed largely by Bang Bangs: laborers carrying heavy wares with their poles. But now that urban redevelopment has moved populations and provided greater accessibility, the Bang Bangs are fading from the marketplace, and those who struggle on are faced with harsh working conditions and a lack of jobs. In this episode, we feature the men who proudly carry on their shoulders the last traces of a dying legacy.

The Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh has a culture strongly affected by its Chinese residents, who comprise a sixth of its population. In recent years, the Chinese population has expanded markedly as investors seek opportunities in the city's real estate or garment industries. However, for each success story, there are several more failures, as well as the complications left in their wake. To ease Chinese investors into the unique business environment of Phnom Penh and reduce the risk of failure, business consultants and committees have sprung up all over the city. In this episode, we take a look at the complex and deepening role of Chinese business in Cambodia.

Tofu is a staple of Indonesian cuisine. Over 80,000 companies nationwide make it. Most are family-run. Wastewater from the process is a major environmental problem. It's dumped into rivers, polluting them with organic matter. The Indonesian government has created a system that uses bacteria to dissolve the pollutants and produce methane, which is sold to local households. We look at a pilot project that has huge community support.

The number of Chinese immigrants to Laos increases daily, with men and women who struggled to succeed in the quickly developing country seeking new lives for themselves. More than wealth or opportunity, they wish to begin anew in a country where life moves at a slower pace, without any the stress of their homeland. Around them grow new communities and groups, reflecting the unique presence they bring to Laos. In this episode, we follow the Chinese people who have traveled to Laos in search of a better quality of life, free from the hustle and bustle of their homeland.

Nepal is a landlocked country situated at the southern end of the Himalayas. The centrally situated Kathmandu Valley is the country's most densely populated area. On April 25, 2015, the region was hit by a major earthquake. The tremor damaged many buildings, including over hundred World Heritage monuments which date back centuries. An NPO called the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust or KVPT has taken up the challenge of restoring damaged sites to their former glory. On this episode, we follow the efforts of the people of Nepal to reconstruct their rich cultural heritage.

In certain hotels in Beijing, diverse crowds of men and women from all age groups and birthplaces gather each day. The sole point they share in common is that they seek to make their names by auditioning for movies and television roles. In particular, the rising genre of online movies has gained attention from these hopefuls. Such locations attract not just aspiring actors, but directors, production staff and investors as well. However, all are aware that the line between fortune and failure is a fine one in this unpredictable field. In this episode, we follow Beijing's "audition hotels", and how they reflect a booming new genre of Chinese media.

Across Vietnam, inspired by Japanese manga, dedicated young locals are striving to promote comic culture. At the forefront of these activities is Comicola (short for "comic online alliance"), a firm that posts the work of aspiring manga artists online, before crowdfunding the publishing costs from fans. In the 2 years since the group's founding, it has already released the work of 17 up-and-coming talents. But not only does a perception remain in Vietnam of comics as kids' reading material, there are also significant regulatory hurdles that must be cleared to secure permission for publication. We follow this passionate group of creatives striving to change the perception of manga in Vietnam.