Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 1321

Chinese school bars windows and balconies to stop pupil suicides

An elite Chinese school has been criticised for turning classrooms into virtual jails by fitting windows and balconies with metal bars in an apparent attempt to stop students leaping to their deaths. Read more

The myth of China’s ghost cities

A ghost town is a place that has become economically defunct — in other words, a place that has died. What China has is the opposite of ghost towns: It has new cities that have yet to come to life. Read more

China Beware: Here Comes India’s Most Powerful Destroyer

India’s new stealth guided-missile destroyer will be a multi-mission ship, capable of supporting expeditionary and surface strike groups. It will be a welcome new asset as India’s navy tries to deter Chinese “intrusions” into the Indian Ocean and particularly to boost India’s antisubmarine warfare capabilities. Read more

China Cracks Down on the ‘Sport for Millionaires’

President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on vice and corruption in Chinahas gone after drugs, gambling, prostitution, ill-gotten wealth and overflowing banquet tables. Now it has turned to a less obvious target: golf. Read more

China Attacks Dalai Lama in New White Paper on Tibet

In a lengthy white paper on Tibet, Beijing denounces the Dalai Lama and his "middle way approach". Read more

Can Capitalism Take Off in North Korea?

Kim Jong-un appears to be committed to the Juche regime of self-sufficiency and political seclusion. Combined with communism, these are heavy chains. Bound by them, North Korea’s flirtations with capitalism will deliver little for the economy. Read more

China's 'evil' church demolition campaign continues, say activists

Hopes that a government demolition campaign targeting Chinese churches had ended have been dashed after the crosses were stripped from at least three places of worship in recent days.China has faced international condemnation over the total or partial demolition at least 400 churches in the eastern province of Zhejiang since early 2014. Read more

What is the biggest threat facing the world today?

"Forget the present turmoil in the Middle East and Putin’s shenanigans, the biggest challenge to global stability will come from the unfolding transition of power in the larger Indo-Pacific in the coming years. The Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands) in the East China Sea have become emblematic of the bitter rivalry between Beijing and Tokyo." Read more

Kina går til angrep på smogen

Statsminister Li Keqiang har på vegne av landets lederskap ”erklært krig” mot Kinas store miljøproblemer. Ingen steder er denne krigen mer ”blodig” enn her i provinsen som omgir hovedstaden. Les mer

Sterk stat - suveren sivilisasjon?

Det er alltid like spennende å lese hva norske professorer skriver om Kina. Sistemann ut er tidligere professor i pedaogikk, Arild Tjeldvoll. I Dagens Næringsliv anmelder han en bok som åpenbart har falt i smak. Boken, som er skrevet av en kinesisk statsviter som er ute etter å renvaske lederne i Beijing, er ifølge Tjeldvoll "nyttig lesning for alle som stirrer inn i krystallkulen med