Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 13

EROME COHEN, THE “EVERGREEN PINE OF RULE OF LAW IN CHINA,” REMEMBERED

The death of Jerome Cohen last week at the age of 95 prompted a wave of tributes to the legendary professor of Chinese law. Outside legal circles, Cohen may have been best known for his involvement in the escape from China of legal activist Chen Guangcheng, and he was frequently and energetically outspoken in support of others suffering official repression in China. Besides frequently discussing

Japan’s ruling party is in crisis as voters swing to right-wing rivals. Can a new leader save it?

Japan’s ruling party is in trouble, and it knows it. The country is rife with political instability, having cycled through four prime ministers in the last five years – all members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).And while the LDP has ruled Japan almost continuously for the last 30 years, it’s now in a precarious position as it prepares tovmote for a new party leader on Saturday – mired in

Cambodian former opposition politician’s killer jailed for life in Thailand

A court in Thailand has sentenced a Thai gunman to life imprisonment for killing a Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok, a murder opposition figures have accused Phnom Penh’s powerful former leader Hun Sen of ordering.French national Lim Kimya, a former opposition politician in Cambodia, was shot dead on January 7 by Ekkalak Paenoi, a former marine, as the ex-MP visited Bangkok with his

Torbjørn Færøvik: The Dawn of the People’s Republic

Yesterday the People’s Republic of China turned seventy-six. Not a round anniversary, perhaps, yet important enough to be celebrated across the nation. In my book The Middle Kingdom: A Journey through China’s History (reissued last autumn), I recount the historic day of October 1, 1949:Beijing was dressed for a festival. In the Fragrant Hills outside the city, Li Zhisui awoke at five in the

China Uses UN to Advance Biggest Territorial Claim

The Chinese government issued a rare white paper this week to reinforce its sovereignty claim over Taiwan as the United Nations General Assembly wrapped up its annual gathering in New York. The position paper released by China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday was part of an escalating war of words over wartime legalese that has unfolded across interested capitals in recent weeks.The official

Taiwan bought $1.3 billion worth of Russian oil products this year, report says

Taiwan imported $1.3 billion worth of the petroleum product naphtha from Russia in the first half of this year, more than anywhere else in the world, according to a new report. The purchases come despite Taiwan’s opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine and sanctions on Moscow.It also raises concerns about the self-governing island’s economic security. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory

Torbjørn Færøvik: Da Mao grep makten i Beijing

I dag fyller Folkerepublikken Kina 76 år. Ingen rund dag, men likevel viktig nok til at den feires over hele landet. I min bok «Midtens rike. En vandring i Kinas historie» (ny utgave i fjor høst) forteller jeg om den historiske begivenheten 1. oktober 1949:Beijing var pyntet til fest. I De velduftende åser utenfor byen ble Li Zhisui vekket allerede klokken fem om morgenen. Luften var klar og

China may not invade Taiwan, but rather blockade it. How would this work, and could it be effective?

US officials believe Chinese President Xi Xinping has set a deadline for his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027 – the centennial anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth mentioned this date at a security conference in Singapore in May, warning of the “imminent threat” China poses to Taiwan.The PLA has invested heavily

Rethinking the Threat: Why China is Unlikely to Invade Taiwan

This report draws on extensive research, including fieldwork in Taiwan, to assess the likelihood of a Chinese invasion. Contrary to dominant defense narratives in Washington, the analysis shows such a scenario would be among the most complex and dangerous military operations in history. From risk of nuclear escalation to prospects of political upheaval and economic catastrophe, the barriers to

Justice on hold: India court crippled by a million-case backlog

The Allahabad High Court - one of India's oldest and most prestigious, once graced by figures like India's first premier Jawaharlal Nehru and future Supreme Court judges - is back in the spotlight. This time, though, for very different reasons. With more than a million cases pending, it is among the most overburdened courts in the country. Matters ranging from criminal trials to property and