So in the meanwhile, it's become kind of fashionable to blame Beijing for the mess in "Myanmar". Sure, Russia and India have gotten some of the blame for failing to rein in Burma's ruthless junta. ASEAN has also been put to shame for its impotence in handling Burma, and even Singapore's conservative Straits Times (subscription required) has begun to wonder aloud if it's not the right time to suspend Burma's membership in ASEAN, admitting that the "1997 Asean decision to admit Myanmar under the current military leadership without any conditionality was a mistake". more ›

Author, pundit and disheveled smoker Christopher Hitchens will be speaking at the Shikumen Bistro in Xintiandi at 7 pm on Wednesday. Shanghaiist will be there, not because we particularly like the guy, but because we have always found him oddly entertaining. Must be that British accent. more ›