Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 14

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

Chinese woman convicted after 'world's biggest' bitcoin seizure

A Chinese national has been convicted following an international fraud investigation which resulted in what's believed to be the single largest cryptocurrency seizure in the world. The Metropolitan Police says it recovered 61,000 bitcoin worth more than £5bn ($6.7bn) in current prices.Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, pleaded guilty on Monday at Southwark Crown Court of illegally acquiring

Russia quietly arming China’s paratroopers for Taiwan fight

Russia’s quiet arming and training of China’s paratroopers sharpens Beijing’s airborne edge for a Taiwan strike—but significant capability gaps and formidable defenses still cloud the odds of success.Last month, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) reported that Russia has agreed to supply China with airborne military equipment and training to support the latter’s preparations for a

Trump’s big, costly, coercive trade deals falling apart in Asia

American economist Anne Krueger, 91, has witnessed a great deal of public policy chicanery during her stints as a top executive at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Yet Donald Trump’s tariff gamble on South Korea — including a US$350 billion “signing bonus” — has the battle-tested Krueger, who has also seen her share of financial crises, literally shaking her head with a mix of

US government shuts down with funding deal out of reach on Capitol Hill

The federal government has officially shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass a funding measure to keep the lights on – and no one inside the Capitol knows what will happen next.A weekslong stalemate between Republicans and Democrats over enhanced Obamacare subsidies has turned into the first government shutdown since 2019. Leaders of both parties are privately and publicly adamant