Recently, I had a beautiful and tragic Conversation with Dr. Darren Byler (Twitter: @Dtbyler) on Xinjiang and the Uyghur People.

The beautiful part of our conversation is the first part, where Darren and I discuss our own experiences in Xinjiang and Yunnan, and Darren teaches us the history of Xinjiang and the complexities of Uyghur culture and faith.

The tragic part of our conversation is the second half. Where Darren and I discuss how Chinese statecraft has shifted against the Ughyur people, from one of tolerance to one of "terror capitalism" and "cultural genocide". This genocide is abetted by panopticon surveillance technology throughout Xinjiang as well as historic bigotries such as Islamophobia and Settler Colonialism.

At Asia Art Tours we have great fondness for China. It's where we got our start in Tourism, as well as where we first truly began exploring leftist politics (our founder's dad, like many activists in the 60s had a copy of Mao's little red book!) We offer tours throughout the country and constantly want travelers to have a more nuanced understanding of the country beyond the Great Wall or Pandas . We also desperately want political dialogue and Western lenses of China to move beyond Cold War fear-mongering.

However, as much as we find great interest, beauty and intellect throughout China, we cannot ignore that (for the Global Left) it no longer appears to be offering a viable alternative to Western Oligarchic, Racist Statecraft.

To paraphrase Yanis Varafakis, democracy (and the state) cannot be mere fig-leafs for oligarchy. . . neither can Communism. . . and what's happening in China to the Ughyur people... is not anything approaching the passionate, empathetic and humane future I want for the world as a Leftist. In fact the China State (and statecraft) would be the utter antithesis of the future I want.

We hope you enjoy the chat and let us know what you think. The conversation connects to multiple threads we can see in the world, from The USA's "War on Terror" to Global Islamophobia, to the surveillance technology newly utilized from regions as diverse as Hong Kong, Israel, and of course the United States.

• For more on Darren please check out his excellent Article in Logic Magazine.https://logicmag.io/china/ghost-world/

• As well as his vital homepage which compiles art, culture, essays and reporting on Xinjiang. https://livingotherwise.com

(all photos and videos used are by Darren Byler, do not share or reuse without consent)

Joe Bernstein of Buzzfeed News was kind enough to come on and talk with us about his incredible Article, detailing Andy Ngo's assault by Antifa participants in Portland, and how the violence inflicted upon him, was the fuel the Right Wing needed to turn him into a Media star.

We discuss how the Left can do a better job in Media Strategy, a strategy that so far as seen far right figures like Andy Ngo and PraegerU far outstrip anything the Left has put out in terms of popularity

(though we have high hopes for Means TV!)

Violence is one of the most important concepts the Left needs to interrogate. It will be done to us when we oppose the State. It will be used against us as evidence of our moral failure when we stray from non-violent resistance. We receive no justice when we are harmed, and are prosecuted when we use violence to ask for justice.

Andy Ngo embodies all these contradictions. I think everyone in the left or liberal political position will learn quite a bit from this conversation.

For the article that spurred this interview (and Joe has several wonderful pieces on Right Wing Media) Please check out

On Andy Ngo:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/andy-ngo-portland-antifa

On PraegerU:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/prager-university

For more fascinating podcasts with figures from around the world, be sure to Like, Share or Subscribe to The Arts of Travel Podcast!

It's been two straight months of protests in Hong Kong. Tear gas, police raids and fights between citizens and triads -rare in orderly Hong Kong- are now a weekly occurrence. What could be motivating protesters to face such violence and drive them to disrupt the city week after week and night after night? And produce shocking images like the one we chose for our podcast, of riot cops invading a luxury shopping mall, beating protesters and terrifying the well-heeled of Hong Kong.

To find out, in LATE JULY, I spoke w. Journalist Elaine Yu (Twitter: @yuenok), one of my favorite deep thinkers on Hong Kong and politics. It's a discussion that goes deep and covers several areas, but hopefully allows you to see the "Nightmares" (a Billionaire Dominated Hong Kong completely absorbed by China) driving Hong Kong's protesters to pursue their "Dreamscape" (Political and Economic Democracy in Hong Kong).

We mention this gorgeous piece Elaine wrote on Depression and Mental Health in the Hong Kong Protests, you can find it here: shorturl.at/vEFW2

I haven't had a discussion before or since like the one I had with Elaine on Hong Kong. So strap-in, grab a bubble tea, and enjoy the conversation!

This is one of our favorite conversations. Asia Art Tours spoke with Dr. Mark Galeotti. We discuss the dangerous and unprecedented access he gained for his book: The Vory- Russia's Super Mafia .

Our rich discussion will leave any listener with a much better understanding of crime and the Russian State. We discuss Putin as Russia's sheriff, How Yeltsin and Gorbachev opened a Pandora's Box of criminal activity by neoliberalizing their economy, and how the original revolutionaries of Russia- Lenin and Stalin- both sympathized and brutally utilized criminals for the benefits they offered state-craft.

We also talk about Tony Soprano.... it's a delicate balancing act but I think we hit both the humor and horror of the Russian Mafia.

For more on Mark please check out his book and you can read his blog here: https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com or on Twitter at: @MarkGaleotti

This is Part 2 of our conversation on Mauna Kea, the recent protests led by Hawaiians and the history of the Hawaiian People. We are speaking with Nobel Peace Price Nominee H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu, The Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Hawaiian Kingdom (NOT the STATE)

In part 1 of our discussion we focused on the history of Hawaii.

In part 2 we discuss the philosophy and spirituality of Hawaii and the protest movement. Is this a battle of science vs religion? How do indigenous movements offer alternatives to capitalism? And how can we save the earth? We discuss all this and more through the lens of Hawaii.

For more information on Mauna Kea and the Hawaiian Independence movement please head to : hawaiiankingdom.net/HawaiianKingdom.net/Home.html

This is Part 1 of our conversation on Mauna Kea, the recent protests led by Hawaiians and the history of the Hawaiian People. We are speaking with Nobel Peace Price Nominee H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu, The Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Hawaiian Kingdom (NOT the STATE)

In part 1 of our discussion we focus on the history of Hawaii's progressive rulers, and how they were betrayed by capitalists and political allies in Washington DC to annex the Hawaiian Kingdom. For those curious about the protests but needing historical context, this is a great introduction to the history of Hawaii, Colonialism and why the Hawaiian people are again demanding their voice be heard.

In part two we will be discussing the philosophy and spirituality of Hawaii and the protest movement

Please note we recorded in a public place as Mr. Siu is having to travel daily to and with protesters.

Music is Ulupalakua - Hui Ohana

and Pueo- By Leon Siu and Malia Elliott (the same person we interview is also a famous Hawaiian Singer!)

For more information on Mauna Kea and the Hawaiian Independence movement please head to : hawaiiankingdom.net/HawaiianKingdom.net/Home.html

While it bills itself as the "Land of Smiles" , the current situation of Thailand, is one of gross inequality, authoritarianism and a political system designed by and for elites, leaving the majority of its rural and poor citizens to fend for themselves.

To discuss these matters, I spoke with Professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn. Giles had to flee Thailand due to its lese majeste laws, that are used by the Thai state against dissidents. Now in exile in The U.K, Giles remains a powerful activist for Thailand, hoping it can return to a functional democratic state.

Giles speaks with us in great detail and clarity on Thai Politics, the Royal Family, what the poor majority of the country wants, why Thai Elites and the military want to deny them democracy, and what the future holds for Thailand.

If you're interested in learning more about the artists we know and the thinkers we work with, please email us at [email protected], or head to our website Asiaarttours.com

For more on Giles work in English please head to https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com

For Thai language analysis from Giles please head to https://turnleftthai.wordpress.com

We had a wonderful discussion with Stuart McDonald the Founder of one of South East Asia's oldest and best sources of information- the website Travelfish.

Stuart has seen nearly every nook and cranny of South East Asia, and weathered nearly every change in the Travel Industry. But facing the hydra of Climate Change, Over-Tourism and Big Tech disrupting and destroying traditional life throughout Asia, I wanted to discuss with Stuart if this is perhaps the Travel Industry's reckoning, and we are moving on to the end of the Travel Industry, and perhaps travel as we know it.

It's a fascinating chat that covers Tech, Imperialism, History and of course Travel.

If you want to know more about Stuart and his project, please head to travelfish.org or follow him @travelfish on Twitter.

And for more information about who we are, what we do, and the creative travel we do in Asia (which we think stands out from the herd), head to Asiaarttours.com!

On the 4th of July, I'm fine with taking a day off to celebrate with friends and family, regarding the noble notions of Liberty and Justice for all. But while The United States celebrate our independence, our country's military, politicians and corporations spend the other 364 days denying independence, sovereignty and freedom to most of the world's nations and people.

On the 5th of July I'd call on all Americans who believe in a just world, to think of all the nations and peoples who are fighting for their freedom from America, American Imperialism and American capitalism. Including the people and nations I discuss with my guest today: Hawaii and Okinawa.

For this 5th of July, I spoke with Rob Kajiwara an Uchinanchu-Hawaiian Activist for independence and a ferocious critic of the business and military developments that are destroying both island nations he calls home.

Today we discuss Hawaiian and Okinawan history, stereotypes and how tourism, capitalism and imperialism are links in the chains that shackle both nations to their colonial masters. We hope you enjoy the chat.

For more information on Rob's work please see his website: http://www.robkajiwara.com or at Twitter at @robkajiwara

I also discuss with Rob at length how the U.S. Military, against the wishes and votes of the Okinawan people is continuing to build a military base that threatens to destroy one of Okinawa's most bio-diverse ecosystems. Henoko Bay. You can find out more about the activism against this military project here:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/12/24/national/hawaiian-activist-okinawa-roots-behind-petition-henoko-base-garnered-160000-signatures/#.XR8ICa9R3SE

For more information on What we do in Asia, or artists like Rob please check out asiaarttours.com!