For years, it was the West that engaged with India. The rest of Asia chose to ignore it - it was a country they did not really understand or want to do business with. Now, because of its rapidly growing economy and increasing opportunities, India is home to sizeable numbers of Asians, especially Koreans and Japanese.

Celebrities added a lot of glitz and glamour to ScreenSingapore 2011. But besides the red carpet extravaganza - organisers said the event also helped local film companies network with international counterparts, something which organisers said will bear fruit in future.

By now it's no secret to anyone with a high-speed Internet connection: The gap between the popularity of contemporary Japanese culture overseas and its anemic industries at home has become a chasm. Anime conventions in the United States continue to proliferate..

No longer does the region assume that peace is a given and Chinese economic growth will not create other problems. Instead, the focus is on managing conflicts and attempting to allay mutual suspicions through dialogue. But it is too late for China to restore the status quo ante...balancing diplomatic necessities with nationalistic impulses is proving difficult.

Singapore wants to join the major international film festival circuit. With the launch of ScreenSingapore, the island city-state is hosting dozens of screenings and events aimed at wooing industry players. Indeed, Singapore is entering a competitive market, which might be why organizer Jimmy Lau prefers to call ScreenSingapore a “business convention for international media players”.

North Korean government-run restaurants have existed for years in China, in regions adjacent to the DPRK's northern border, but in the past decade the business has truly gone global. As North Korea's economic situation becomes increasingly dire, the number of branches has increased.

The Thai government has been educating diners about its country's cuisine for years. In fact, an initiative called Global Thai was launched in 2002 to encourage an appreciation for Thai cuisine around the world.

The ubiquitous Housing Board flat, home to the majority of the population in Singapore, has become part of the art of a contemporary Japanese artist. In Akira Yamaguchi's book, Singa-planet, HDB blocks are seen as historical monuments sprouting out of their green natural setting.