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Asian diaspora

Asian diaspora
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Asian diaspora. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Chinese-Canadian filmmaker and actor Derek Kwan on the sets of his short film 100 Days, which was filmed in a functioning Chinese restaurant in Vancouver. Kwan wants to move beyond “token Asian” supporting roles in film. Photo: Instagram/seasonsofeastvan
Chinese culture

Why Chinese-Canadian Derek Kwan is so much more than a ‘token Asian’ actor

Raised in Vancouver, actor and filmmaker Derek Kwan is creating and starring in his own projects about the Chinese diaspora.

US-China relations

US trial hears witness claims of harassment over Chinese ‘secret police station’

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Food and Drinks

She swapped fish for veg in her omakase – and Vancouver ate it up

Fame and celebrity

Ludi Lin – Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat 2 – talks childhood and representation

Before he resumed his Mortal Kombat role, the actor worked on Power Rangers, Monster Hunt, DC’s Aquaman and Netflix’s Black Mirror.

Ludi Lin, the Chinese-Canadian actor, plays one of lead characters in Mortal Kombat 2. Style photographed him at East Hong Kong hotel. Sweater: Tod’s. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Food and Drinks

There’s a Thai food revolution going on as chefs think outside the box

A new generation of restaurants in the US and beyond is looking past the classics to put unique twists on all kinds of Thai dishes.

Art

Asian-American artists shine at US fair amid ongoing anti-immigrant rhetoric

Artists including Leland Wong and Liu Tianlian featured at the San Francisco Art Fair whose group exhibition focused on the local Chinatown.

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Music

‘This is insane!’ Korean-American rapper Dumbfoundead on family, music and Beef

A writer on Beef season two, battle rapper Dumbfoundead has taken his underground rap mentality with him from the gutter to the stars.

Rapper Jonnie Park, aka Dumbfoundead, explores his journey from Korean-American immigrant to multi-album artist and television show writer. Photo: TNS
Food and Drinks

Spam musubi? How American flavours were absorbed and adapted in Okinawa

Okinawa’s post-war food story is a delicious blend of American ingredients given a Japanese spin – think taco rice and Spam musubi.

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Mainland China

Being Chinese | 3 months in China became 10 years. Here’s why I stayed

My three-month China stint grew to 10 years, as predictability disappeared from my work around UK-China, EU-China and US-China relations.

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Food and Drinks

Asian-American mother challenges tough Chinese traditions for new mums

Clarissa Wei’s cookbook ‘Sitting the Month’ puts a modern spin on the traditional Chinese foods typically given to post-partum mothers.

Clarissa Wei is the author of “Sitting the Month”, a cookbook that aims to dispel misconceptions surrounding the ancient Chinese tradition of “zuo yue zi” so new mums can recover after childbirth with confidence. Photo: Lin Hou Jun
Identity

The rise of ‘Wasians’ like Alysa Liu and what it means for part-Asian identity

While part-white, part-Asian identity is being celebrated online, some argue these spaces in fact stereotype the communities they represent.

Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal in women’s single skating at the Winter Olympics in Milan on February 19, 2026. The skater, who is part-white, part-Asian, is among a cohort of “Wasians” including Eileen Gu, Lola Tung, Hudson Williams and Megan Skiendiel who have found themselves in the limelight in 2026. Photo: Reuters
Chinese culture

It started with Crazy Rich Asians. How mahjong is booming across the US

Thriving mahjong clubs in places like Denver are fostering community and connection across generations and cultures.

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Food and Drinks

At London restaurant Ikoyi, Jeremy Chan gives a taste of his Hong Kong childhood

Jeremy Chan spent his first eight years in Hong Kong. His menu on April 23 for two-Michelin-star restaurant Ikoyi, in London, reflected that.

US-China relations

Why tougher US visa rules for skilled foreign workers may end in ‘brain drain’

Trump administration is targeting several visa categories, including popular H-1B pathway, with bias towards fewer numbers and more revenue.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Food and Drinks

He swore he wouldn’t be a chef. Now he has a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant

Josh Boutwood began with the belief that a chef’s life was ‘not the life for me’. Today, he has a culinary empire in Manila.

Chef Josh Boutwood at Salisterra at The Upper House in Hong Kong. Once a reluctant cook, he now helms Manila’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Helm. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Food and Drinks

The soy sauce artisans making the Chinese condiment with a dash of attitude

Two craft soy sauce makers in Sweden and Australia are turning away from ‘boring’ mass production methods to make the condiment in new ways.

Food and Drinks

Kunafa prawn? From Shandong to the Nile, Cairo’s love affair with Chinese food

From a 63-year-old restaurant chain to high-end hotels, Cairo has no shortage of Chinese food, tweaked for the local palate.

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TV shows and streaming video

Q&A | Asian-American Sheng Wang likes to be bored. His best jokes come from it

The Taiwanese-American talks about how jokes in Purple, now on Netflix, were inspired by small everyday events, and his bond with Ali Wong.

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Sheng Wang performs in Los Angeles in November 2022. The Taiwanese-American stand-up comedian talks about his new Netflix special “Purple” and finding humour in “fleeting” everyday moments. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
Social media

All 7 are dentists and hot. The Asian-American family blowing up social media

The Chen family shot to social media stardom over their shared career, good looks and closeness – all achieved without tiger parenting.

Food and Drinks

A Chinese takeaway kid’s Hong Kong-style French toast with a twist

London bakery Cantoast’s deep-fried milk bread comes in flavours such as salted egg. It’s Hong Kong-style baking but not as we quite know it.

Fashion

US$20 for a jacket, US$280 for tailoring. How demand for tailors is rising

Demand for professional sewers, dressmakers and tailors is growing in the US. Problem is, many are retiring and there are few to replace them.

Tailor Marco Lema, 35, of Ecuador, works on an embroidered shirt at Nordstrom headquarters in New York, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Food and Drinks

Mouthing Off | Is stinky tofu ban for US restaurant discrimination or lack of common scents?

Whether stinky tofu, durian or strong spices, what smells are acceptable and what aren’t is ambiguous. Where should the line be drawn?

A dish of rongyuan stinky tofu at Furong in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. A Taiwanese restaurant in California was ordered to stop selling stinky tofu after repeated complaints from a resident. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Food and Drinks

How Okinawan food evolved with Chinese influences to become ‘truly unique’

Long ago, Okinawa was part of the Ryukyu Kingdom, a trade hub linking Japan to Asia. Today, dishes like goya champuru reflect this history.

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Food and Drinks

Forced to stop selling stinky tofu, this Taiwanese restaurant fought back

The owner of Southern California’s Golden Leaf reveals how a neighbour’s vendetta has seen the popular street food dropped from his menu.

Fame and celebrity

Meet Irene Choi, the Harvard grad who plays intern Joy on The Pitt

The Harvard grad with a Korean background has enjoyed a string of TV successes including the Emmy award-winning medical drama.

Harvard-educated Irene Choi stars in the new season of The Pitt. Photos: Handout, @irenechoi/Instagram
Food and Drinks

A shaman told him to quit coffee. Now he runs a successful matcha brand

Rocky Xu, who started Rocky’s Matcha in 2022, focuses on selling quality, authentic Japanese tea rather than trying to be a viral sensation.

Rocky Xu, founder of Rocky’s Matcha, says his brand is about “tradition and craft” rather than chasing trends. Photo: Rocky Xu
Food and Drinks

The Hong Kong chef giving remote Canadian town a taste of the city

Unique Chan’s Hong Kong-style bakery attracts many non-Chinese customers curious to discover dishes like pineapple buns and egg tarts.

Art

Fried bananas and family lore: a Swedish-Chinese art story

Lam turns Swedish-Chinese restaurant culture and digital defects into haunting works about migration, memory and generational loss.

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