Kate Whitehead

Little Aunt Crane by Yan Geling Penguin, Random House

The Wangs vs. the World author, who appeared at the 2017 Hong Kong International Literary Festival, wants Asian characters to be written more authentically because there are more than just ‘stories of pain’ to be told

Change is happening fast in Myanmar. For 50 years the country stagnated under the thumb of the ruling military junta, weighed down by tough economic sanctions, but the window to the world blew open in March 2011 when a new government took office and with it came sweeping reforms.

The Italian priest tells Kate Whitehead how became fascinated by China, was eventually barred, and how he has fought for the rights of the disadvantaged

North Korea has barely been out of the news since Kim Jong-un took control of the regime following the death of his father Kim Jong-il in December 2011. From nuclear threats, public executions, forced labour camps and, most recently, a damning united Nations report, the headlines make clear that the isolated state is extremely volatile.

Mainland Chinese spending has cemented Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s most important luxury hub, but the recent wave of Mainland Chinese shoppers — drawn to the city by new transport links — tends to have smaller budgets and different tastes than earlier visitors. With no sales tax, a friendly business environment and a voracious appetite…