Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 1370

Hong Kong and China: One Country, Two Histories

This division in society lingers. Seventeen years after “One Country, Two Systems,” only 31 percent of people define themselves as Chinese, while 67 percent see themselves as primarily Hong Kongers. This figure is lower than in 1997, but it also represents the latest result in a poll that has seen dramatic swings in both directions. Read more

The Party will remain above the law

The Chinese leaders keep saying that they will give more power to the courts and put the law above everything else. But is it true? Read more

Q. and A.: Larry Diamond on Political Change in Hong Kong

If you consider Beijing’s highest priority in Hong Kong, it is to ensure that Hong Kong does not establish a model or precedent that would become subversive of the authority of the Communist Party in the rest of China. Read more

China’s Climate Change Paradox

Despite China’s reliance on fossil fuels, poor environmental record, and reputation as a roadblock on the path to an emissions reduction deal, it has been a strong advocate for the development of renewable energy technology. There is no doubt that rapidly transitioning to a green economy will mitigate the impacts of climate change and China is leading the way. Read more

China's obsession with vertical cities

As the global population rises and cities become more crowded, the fabric of urban centres is changing. Nowhere is the phenomenon more pronounced than in China, where a state-orchestrated urbanisation drive has prompted a megacity building bonanza characterised by skyscrapers and sprawl. Read more

Q. and A.: Pankaj Mishra on the Hong Kong Protests

Six years before the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kongbegan reshaping the city’s political and social landscape, Pankaj Mishra wrote in a travel essay for The New York Times that “Hong Kong is a great clamor.” Read more

Politician Who Called for Hong Kong Leader’s Resignation Is Formally Penalized

China’s top advisory body expelled a Hong Kong delegate on Wednesday for giving the wrong kind of advice: that the top official in the city should resign because of what the delegate called the poor way he has handled student-led protests. Read more

The Approaching Xinjiang Crisis Point

Crackdown or reform, Chinese leaders will be forced to take action soon if they hope to keep the peace. Read more

Al-Qaeda Declares War on China, Too

Al-Qaeda central’s sudden focus on China follows closely on the heels of the Islamic State also condemning Beijing for its handling of its Uyghur Muslim population. Read more

Hong Kong protests bring crisis of confidence for traditional media

Hong Kong’s traditional media is suffering a crisis of confidence. Many of the city’s most influential newspapers and TV stations are owned by local tycoons who, wary of jeopardising their mainland business ties, have taken great pains to maintain a conservative editorial line. Read more