But according to a number of studies, roughly half of East Asia's exports to China are components, such as semiconductors and hard drives, for goods that are ultimately exported elsewhere.

ECONOMIST: China may not matter quite as much as you think

Eddie was three weeks into a combined Asian and Pacific studies and international management course at Leeds University when he decided to travel to South East Asia.

BBC: Eddie Gibson

Annabelle Sreberny, professor of global media and communications at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, acknowledged that social networks and blogs had proved useful to protesters in the Middle East and Asia, but cautioned against overstating Twitter's significance.

BBC: Twitter page in Farsi