Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 148

‘Unprecedented’ Russia-China ties based on ‘full trust’: Putin

Russia and China have developed relations to an unprecedented level based on “full trust” and they almost always coordinate international action, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his annual press conference. Relations between Russia and China had reached “a point that has never existed throughout our entire history” in both level and quality, Putin told Russian and foreign journalists, as

Video captures abuse of Tibetan student by Chinese principal

A disturbing video has emerged showing a teacher slapping, pushing down and pulling the ear of a Tibetan student in front of other students gathered on what appears to be a sports field. The video, which contains no sound, was contained in a report released by the Tibet Action Institute, an advocacy group based in North America, on Dec. 16. The incident was filmed on or before Nov. 18, according

Massive new Tibetan dictionary to help protect against Chinese encroachment

A new 223-volume Tibetan dictionary containing definitions of over 300,000 words presented to the Library of Congress last week will play a key role in preserving the Tibetan language amid China’s assimilation policies in the region, U.S. lawmakers and advocates said. The Monlam Grand Tibetan Dictionary project, which began in 2012 under the advice and guidance of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan

China now has more than 600 nuclear warheads, Pentagon says

China’s military is now in possession of more than 600 operational nuclear warheads, according to a new report from the Pentagon, tripling its estimated arsenal in just four years.  Beijing plans to continue building its stockpile through to at least 2035, the report says, and is on track to “probably” have 1,000 warheads by 2030 as part of an effort to be able to “dissuade, deter, or if

Taiwan gets first batch of ‘world’s most advanced’ tanks from US

Taiwan has received 38 M1A2T tanks from the United States, the first U.S. tanks for the island in 23 years, and the first batch of an expected 122 due to arrive over the next two years. While many defense experts rate the M1A2T as the world’s most advanced main battle tank, some also question whether it is suitable for Taiwan’s relatively confined, built-up spaces and its mountainous terrain.Eric

New York man pleads guilty to helping run ‘secret Chinese police station’

Manhattan resident Chen Jinping has pleaded guilty to a charge in federal court related to running a secret Chinese police station in New York. Chen Jinping, a U.S. citizen, had assisted with administrative tasks at the hidden outpost in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 2022. According to U.S. prosecutors, it was set up by officials at China’s Fuzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, a branch of its

Press freedom continues to deteriorate in Hong Kong

Jailed pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai testified Tuesday that the Hong Kong government became "very strict" after Beijing's national security law came into effect in 2020. The 77-year-old British national made the statement when the court asked him to explain comments he made in August 2020 following the arrest of pro-democracy former lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting.At the time, Lai said the arrest

Pentagon: Chinese military saw ‘new wave’ of corruption with senior leaders

A Pentagon report says the Chinese military experienced “a new wave” of corruption among its senior leaders last year that may have disrupted progress toward its military modernization goals, even as China ratcheted up aggression toward Taiwan and the Philippines.The U.S. Department of Defense’s annual China Military Power report released Wednesday says at least 15 high-ranking military officers

Xi hails Macau 'success' in visit for 25th anniversary of Chinese rule

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed Macau's "world-recognised success" as he arrived in the city on Wednesday, kickstarting a three-day trip as the casino hub prepares to celebrate 25 years of Beijing rule.The former Portuguese colony was handed over to China on December 20, 1999, under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework that promised autonomy and wider civil liberties than the Chinese

Chinese casino hub Macau struggles to evolve beyond gaming

In the shadow of the Grand Lisboa, the Macau casino world-famous for its “golden lotus” design, fashion boutique owner Suzanne Leong wonders if the economic miracle that initially made her fortune has now cast her aside. The Chinese casino hub once again tops the world in gaming revenue in 2024 as visitors return after the Covid-19 pandemic, but residents like Ms Leong point to a huge disparity