Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 1300

The South China Sea: Defining the 'Status Quo'

As East Asia’s maritime disputes continue to bubble, concern with the “status quo” is emerging as a staple component of many countries’ official policies on the South China Sea. This raises several questions worthy of careful consideration. When and how did the term come to prominence? What exactly is the status quo in the South China Sea? How is the term used in practice, and how useful is it

China’s Elegant, Flawed, Grand Strategy

China’s pursuit of its core interests has the potential to trigger great power rivalry or conflict with the United States and other regional powers. Read more

China Hacks the Permanent Court of Arbitration

In early July 2015, Chinese APT actors used an Adobe Flash Player exploit within a specific webpage detailing a noteworthy international legal case between the Philippines and China. This precedent setting legal case would be followed by many Southeast Asian nations, as well as others around the globe. The exploit appeared on day three of the Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal, exposing

Ai Weiwei 'at peace' but still focused on China's shortcomings

Contemporary artist and outspoken dissident Ai Weiwei did not show off his recently-returned passport, a day after Chinese authorities lifted his four-year international travel ban. Instead, he offered a simple, quiet smile."My heart is at peace. I feel quite relieved," Ai said, in an exclusive interview with CNN in Beijing.  Read more

China may bring in 'two-child policy' to tackle demographic timebomb

Thirty-five years after enacting draconian birth control rules blamed for millions of forced abortions and the creation of a demographic “timebomb”, China could be on the verge of introducing a two-child policy. The new regulation, under which all Chinese couples would be allowed to have two children, could be implemented “as soon as the end of the year if everything goes well”, a government

Meet China's 1%: The billionaires in Beijing's halls of power

Being rich in China isn't as easy as it once was. For the estimated 360 billionaires today are tough times. Read more

Capitalist Soul Rises as Ho Chi Minh City Sheds Its Past

City planners here speak approvingly of the intense competition and the constant cycle of corporate failure and rebirth. The name cards of government officials still say “Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” but their talking points would bring a smile to Adam Smith. Read more

China’s Global Ambitions, With Loans and Strings Attached

China’s growing economic power coincides with an increasingly assertive foreign policy. It is building aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and stealth jets. In a contested sea, China is turning reefs and atolls near the southern Philippines into artificial islands, with at least one airstrip able to handle the largest military planes. The United States has challenged the move, conducting

Den farlige fredsapostel

I amerikanske Anaheim har Dalai Lama – tibetanernes åndelige leder og vinner av Nobels fredspris – feiret sin 80 årsdag. Jubileet er en pinlig påminnelse om fjorårets Norges-besøk. Da viste Stortinget seg frem som et feighetens hus, mens en gang så prinsippfaste politikere gjemte seg for å unngå kinesernes vrede. Men dette var bare begynnelsen på den ydmyke norske canossagangen, skal vi ta Erik

Erik Solheim: Kina er ikke lenger totalitært

Det bekymrer meg at Norge har et ikke-forhold til det landet som sammen med USA definerer verdens svar på nesten alle viktige utfordringer. Det bekymrer meg også at Harald Stanghelle i Aftenposten 9. juli ikke er bekymret over dette, men angriper oss som er det. Les mer