Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 186

Think China can take Taiwan easily? Think again

“All forms of media is [sic] propaganda, we’re just more honest about it.” So declares the social media profile of Zhao DaShuai, a member of the People’s Armed Police Propaganda Bureau. Chinese strategy is often characterized by its reliance on deception, but like so many authoritarian regimes, the Chinese Communist Party often says exactly what it’s doing and why it’s doing it.It is through this

Huawei isn’t just back from the dead. It’s a force to be reckoned with

Huawei is in the midst of one of the most stunning comebacks in the history of the tech industry. The Chinese giant, which has been a flashpoint in the escalating rivalry between Washington and Beijing, says more than 900 million smartphones now use its in-house operating system Harmony OS.“We have done in 10 years what our European and American counterparts have done in more than 30 years, and

China’s Chang’e-6 moon mission returns to Earth with historic far side samples

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar module returned to Earth Tuesday, completing its historic mission to collect the first ever samples from the far side of the moon in a major step forward for the country’s ambitious space program. The reentry module “successfully landed” in a designated zone in China’s northern Inner Mongolia region just after 2 p.m. local time, according to state broadcaster CCTV. A

How China could take Taiwan without even needing to invade

China’s military could isolate Taiwan, cripple its economy, and make the democratic island succumb to the will of Beijing’s ruling Communist Party without ever firing a shot, a prominent think tank warns. Fears the Communist Party might make good on its promise to one day take control of Taiwan, by force if necessary, have been heightened in recent years by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s

He Spent 23 Years Searching for His Daughter. Last Month, He Found Her.

Over the past 23 years, Shi Chunxin has helped families across China track down their missing children. Last month, he made his most important find of all — his own daughter. On June 5, the 48-year-old beamed from ear to ear as he stood next to his daughter, Shi Ke, who was abducted over 20 years ago as a toddler. “Hello everyone, I am Shi Ke’s dad. Shi Ke has been found,” he said in a video

Lai Ching-te’s View on History: The new Taiwanese president revealed a shift in perspective.

The inaugural address of Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te late last month attracted international attention. The speech prompted a barrage of criticism from Beijing, which ramped up the pressure on Taiwan with military exercises. China likely paid special attention to the parts “the Republic of China Taiwan is a sovereign, independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people

Torbjørn Færøvik: Dalai Lamas vanskelige kamp mot overmakten

Spøkefuglen Dalai Lama har flere ganger sagt at han tar sikte på å bli 113 år gammel. Det blir ikke lett, men kanskje en kneoperasjon vil gjøre livet lettere? I dag kommer han i hvert fall til USA for å la seg operere. Besøket gir ham også en mulighet til å blåse liv i tibetanernes sak og treffe ledende amerikanske politikere, i beste fall president Joe Biden.  Før avreisen fra Dharamsala i

In Retrospect: The Agreement of the Central People's Government and the local government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful liberation of Tibet

This is the full text of the 17-point agreement signed between China and Tibet in 1951:"23 MAY, 1951The Tibetan nationality is one of the nationalities with a long history within the boundaries of China and, like many other nationalities, it has done its glorious duty in the course of the creation and development of the great motherland. But over the last hundred years and more, imperialist

In Retrospect: The Seventeen Point Agreement: China’s Occupation of Tibet

In May 23rd 1951, the "Seventeen Point Agreement of the Central People’s Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" was signed. This agreement legitimized claims of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over Tibet and retroactively justified the previous year’s military invasion of eastern Tibet by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).The document

Big City Dreams, Small-Town Realities for China’s Rural Youth

“Small cities” refer to prefecture-level and county-level cities at or below the fourth or fifth tier in Chinese city classification. China’s urbanization has unfolded as a gradual process characterized by the continual flow of rural residents between cities and the countryside. While big cities are the drivers of urbanization and rural areas are the anchors of stability, small cities are the