Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 114

‘How gratifying’: Cheers in China as Trump dismantles Voice of America

One nationalist influencer called it “truly gratifying.” Another said he was laughing his head off. And a state-media editorial hailed the demise of what it called the “lie factory.” Chinese nationalists and state media could hardly contain their schadenfreude after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and other US

With an ailing economy, is China a stable global player?

Confidence in the economy and projecting China as a stable global player, despite serious economic problems, were the messages delivered by the nation’s top leaders during the National People’s Congress.Video

Walmart feels the heat in China after Trump imposes tariffs

Walmart is getting caught in the middle of an escalating trade war between the United States and China. Chinese officials confirmed on Thursday they had met with executives from the US retail giant, following a news report that it had pressured its suppliers in China for discounts to cope with rising tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.“Our relevant departments have reached out to Walmart to further

Dalai Lama book excerpt: Tibetans’ only leverage is ‘power of truth’

In his newly published memoir, the Dalai Lama chronicles his 70-year struggle with China to secure a future for the Tibetan people. In “Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle with China for My Land and My People,” the Dalai Lama shares his experiences since assuming the leadership of Tibet at the age of 16 before he fled into exile in India.The Tibetan spiritual leader also

Pacific governments warned of ‘threat’ from Cambodia’s Prince Group

The governments of Taiwan and Palau have both been warned that offers of investment from the Cambodian conglomerate Prince Group represent threats to each nation’s security and sovereignty. Briefings to the president of Palau and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered within the last month by the Hawaii-based think tank Pacific Economics described the Prince Group as being “deeply

Not enough power to share: The political feud behind Rodrigo Duterte's downfall

Just short of his 80th birthday, Rodrigo Duterte, a man who once vowed to purge his country through a bloody anti-drugs and crime campaign, found himself outmanoeuvred and in custody. The former president was met by Philippines police as he arrived in Manila on a flight from Hong Kong, where he had been rallying support for his candidates for the upcoming mid-term election among the large

US tech firms feel pinch from China tariffs

Deena Ghazarian had only been in business for a year when the trade policies of President Donald Trump's first term of office sent her company into a tailspin. It was 2019 and her California-based firm, Austere, had just agreed to supply several big US retailers with its high-end audio and video accessories that are largely manufactured in China.Then Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on China, and

US tariffs on India will be a bitter pill to swallow

With Donald Trump's tit-for-tat tariffs on India looming next month, millions of Americans may have to brace for steeper medical bills. Last week, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal made an unscheduled trip to the US for discussions with officials, hoping to strike a trade deal.It followed Trump's announcement that he would impose tariffs - which are government taxes on foreign imports - on

Duterte's first night in a jail cell is a pivotal moment for the ICC

Outside the International Criminal Court's (ICC) detention centre, where former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte was taken on Wednesday, his supporters gathered, waving national flags and shouting, "Bring him back!" as he was driven through the imposing iron gates at speed. Shortly before he landed in the Netherlands, the 79-year-old unapologetically defended his bloody "war on drugs" for

Dalai Lama says his successor will be born outside China

The Dalai Lama’s successor will be born outside China, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism says in a new book, raising the stakes in a dispute with Beijing over control of the Himalayan region he fled more than six decades ago. Tibetans worldwide want the institution of the Dalai Lama to continue after the 89-year-old’s death, he writes in “Voice for the Voiceless,” which was reviewed by