Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 1360

The Disintegration of Rural China

My childhood came at a unique moment for China. We were still living traditional village lives, having left the horrors of Mao behind, but not yet in the thick of the capitalist frenzy. Families were strong, crime was unheard of and the landscape was pristine. Read more

What China means by "democracy"

Recently Tony Abbott, the prime minister of Australia, embarrassed himself a little by gushing over Chinese President Xi Jinping’s talk of China becoming “democratic”. What did Mr Xi really mean? Read more

A Chinese Shadowy Agency Is Working To Absorb Taiwan Through Business

What's happening in Taiwan is part of a broader effort by Beijing to bolster its control over restive territories on its periphery. Read more

Why Tibet Remains The Core Issue In China-India Relations

Despite booming two-way trade, strategic discord and rivalry between China and India is sharpening. At he core of their divide is Tibet, an issue that fuels territorial disputes, border tensions and water feuds. Read more

Hong Kong student leader considering suing police over arrest, says lawyer

Joshua Wong was bailed on Thursday on condition he did not return to a large part of Mong Kok – the protest area cleared by authorities in a two-day operation in which there were repeated clashes and more than 100 arrests. Read more

China’s first anti-domestic violence law hailed as a step forward

China has drafted its first national law against domestic violence, with activists hailing it as a step forward in a country where abuse has long been sidelined as a private matter. “Over the years, we’ve many times felt powerless ourselves to help victims,” said Hou Zhiming, a veteran women’s rights advocate who heads the Maple Women’s Psychological Counselling Centre in Beijing. Read more

China Promises Permanent APEC Blue In 2030

"The blue skies that Beijing had during the APEC Summit showed that air quality can be improved if we resort to some measures," says Xie Zhenhua, a high-ranking Chinese official. But how much the communist leadership is willing to sacrifice for healthy air remains to be seen. Read more

Water & Power—And Human Rights—In China

Activist Shi Lihong on the film she helped make, "Waking the Green Tiger", and the pressure to dam rivers. Read more

How China Is Expanding Its Influence In Global Solar Market

China, the world's biggest carbon polluter, is becoming an even bigger player in the solar energy business as it expands its control of the solar equipment manufacturing worldwide. Read more

Al Gore Warns China Particularly Vulnerable to Climate Change

Former U.S. President Al Gore brought one of his favorite stump speeches to China this week, raising the alarm about global warming. "We are at a turning point," he said, "it's time to act." Read more