Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 163

China hawk Marco Rubio nominated for US secretary of state

 Marco Rubio, a strident foreign policy “hawk” when it comes to relations with China, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next U.S. secretary of state. The Republican senator from Trump’s adopted home state of Florida is almost certain to be confirmed as America’s top diplomat by his soon-to-be former colleagues, with the Republican Party now controlling the

Jakarta seeks to contain fallout from South China Sea agreement with Beijing

Indonesia is seeking to contain the fallout from a maritime cooperation agreement with China that analysts say appears to indicate a softening of Jakarta’s stance on Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea. A joint statement released after a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Saturday said the two countries had reached an

CHINA’S INFLUENCE AT THE UNITED NATIONS: WORDS AND DEEDS

China is perceived as increasingly influential given the rise its rising weight in the UN’s budget. It is increasing mechanically with Chinese growth as mandatory contributions are calculated based on a complex formula that takes into account population and GDP. From previously providing only a 2 percent mandatory share of the UN’s total budget during the early 2000s, China now contributes more 4

The 2024 China report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change

This is the fifth annual China report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change, the flagship report for tracking progress, or lack thereof, on climate change and health in China. Over the years, what began as the marginal effort of a few dedicated individuals has grown into a considerable movement at the forefront of global climate and health discourse. The report is led by the Lancet

Biden to meet for a final time with Xi this week as a new Trump era of China relations begins

President Joe Biden will meet for a final time this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he prepares to hand over power — and the reins of the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship — to President-elect Donald Trump in January. The meeting, set for Saturday on the sidelines of a summit of Pacific leaders in Peru, serves as a bookend to the president’s high stakes attempts to

Chinese state TV drama about Xi's father fails to impress

China’s state broadcaster has launched a historical TV show with an all-star cast dramatizing the role of President Xi Jinping’s father Xi Zhongxun in the communist revolution, although social media reaction and commentators suggest that young people in China would rather watch “Stranger Things.”“When the wind blew from the northwest, the revolutionaries ... watered their faith with their own

China bans students from mass cycle rides at night

Authorities across China are cracking down on thousands of college students who took part in mass night-cycling events that commentators said could be seen as a new form of protest against the ruling Chinese Communist Party.The police department in Henan’s Zhengzhou city issued a warning to students on Nov. 9, following a mass “night ride to Kaifeng” by thousands of young people a day earlier, as

China car killings could spark new round of security measures

A fatal car attack on pedestrians at a sports facility in southern China that left at least 35 people dead could spark a fresh round of security measures, observers said, as the ruling Communist Party counts the cost of a growing number of “social revenge” attacks on members of the public. At least 35 people were killed and 43 injured when a driver rammed his car into a crowd at a stadium in

Philippines rejects China’s new map claim in South China Sea

The Philippines on Tuesday protested against China’s recent unilateral announcement of the baselines around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, calling it a violation of “the Philippines’ long-established sovereignty over the shoal.” China announced the baselines of its territorial sea around the shoal to strengthen its claim over the South China Sea feature that lies within

Philippines enacts laws asserting maritime claims

The Philippines has enacted two laws to bolster its maritime claims including in the South China Sea, leading to an annoyed Beijing, which claims almost the entire sea, summoning Manila’s envoy to protest. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the laws at a time of heightened tension in the South China Sea, where confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have dramatically