Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 178

China Establishes Defense Mobilization Units Around Taiwan’s Outlying Islands

As part of broader preparations for war, China is expanding and streamlining procedures for national defense mobilization – including near Kinmen.The resolution from the Chinese Communist Party 20th Central Committee’s third plenary session in July 2024 indicated that top leader Xi Jinping is reviving Mao Zedong’s wartime preparations, such as organizing large-scale militia divisions, stockpiling

A Growing Sense of Urgency: Is This Beijing’s Economic Reckoning?

There is a mounting sense of urgency in China’s policymaking circles as the country’s economic slowdown becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. After months of weak recovery and growing distress in key sectors, Beijing appears to be coming to grips with the gravity of the situation. In response, on September 24, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) unveiled a sweeping set of measures, signaling

EU China Policy Under von der Leyen 2.0

On September 17, the new European Commission under re-elected President Ursula von der Leyen was announced in Brussels, opening a new chapter that will shape the next five years of the European Union. This announcement came not long after the Draghi report was published earlier this September to address how the EU can improve its internal policies, also featuring China and the United States as

Japan sails warship in Taiwan Strait for first time: reports

A Japanese warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and China for the first time, according to reports in Japanese media. The JS Sazanami, a naval destroyer, passed through the strait from north to south on Wednesday, accompanied by ships from Australia and New Zealand. The vessel was on its way to take part in military exercises in the South China Sea, Japanese ministers were

‘Education of hatred’: Killing of Japanese boy sparks soul searching in China over rising nationalism

The killing of a Japanese schoolboy in China has sparked an outpouring of anger and soul searching over the rise of extreme nationalism in the country, with some accusing the government of fanning anti-Japan sentiment and even the “education of hatred.”The tragic loss of a young life has once again thrown a spotlight on the complex relationship between Asia’s two biggest economies, which has been

A path towards freedom: the new route to Europe for desperate Chinese migrants

Since China’s zero-Covid regime was abruptly lifted, shortly after the 2022 protests, hordes of people have been leaving the country. Some are fed up with the political repression, which has spread far and wide under the current regime. Others feel hopeless about the economy, which has struggled to recover since the pandemic, with high youth unemployment rates and stagnant wages. For many, the

In Retrospect: The Death of Chiang Kai-shek

The generalissimo, in severely declining health, did not even appear in public during the final two years of his life. But until the end, Chiang held the title of President of the Republic of China, insisting that he was the sole legitimate ruler of the entire country. Even after Taiwan’s expulsion from the U.N. in 1971, Chiang rejected all attempts at compromise. As long as he was alive,

China fires ICBM into Pacific Ocean in first such public test in decades as regional tensions flare

China says it successfully fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, a rare public test that comes amid heightened tensions with the United States and its regional allies. An ICBM carrying a dummy warhead was launched at 8:44 a.m. Beijing time and fell into a designated area in the high seas of the Pacific Ocean, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a

US to return a trove of nearly 300 history-spanning antiquities to India

The US is returning 297 history-spanning antiquities stolen or smuggled from India, many dating back centuries. Marking the handover, President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posed for a photo in front of several of the artifacts, during a recent meeting between the two leaders.In July, the US and India signed an agreement to protect cultural property by preventing illegal

Thailand’s king signs landmark same-sex marriage bill into law

Thailand’s landmark marriage equality bill was officially written into law Tuesday, allowing same-sex couples to legally wed. The law was published in the Royal Gazette after endorsement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and will come into effect in 120 days. This means LGBTQ+ couples will be able to register their marriage in January next year, making Thailand the third place in Asia, after Taiwan