Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 20

Lawless state capitalism is no answer to China’s rise

It is tempting to frame the Sino-American economic rivalry as a clash between engineering doers and lawyerly naysayers, as the Chinese-Canadian analyst Dan Wang does in his new book Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future. This is a false dichotomy, because law is a crucial feature of US capitalism.We have heard the lawyers-versus-engineers argument before. Forty years ago, Japan’s

Why is China stockpiling so much oil?

The big question troubling the energy market now is why China is stockpiling so much oil. In problem-solving, the principle of Occam’s razor recommends searching for the simplest explanation. So, perhaps the answer is as straightforward as “because it’s cheap.” Still, the conspiracy theorist in me says there is more to it. China has purchased more than 150 million barrels — costing about US$10

Brett McGurk: Why 2026 could be one of the most pivotal years in a generation

As world leaders gather in New York this week for the UN General Assembly (UNGA), their focus will be on immediate crises, including Gaza and Ukraine, with both conflicts now poised to last through the rest of this year and into 2026.I have participated in numerous UNGA meetings with presidents of both political parties. The issues tend to be dominated by the current headlines, but looking back,

This country’s government vowed to eliminate TB by the end of 2025. It’s not going well.

Relentless coughing echoes through the Mumbai suburb of Govandi, where families live cramped under tarpaulin and salvaged wood. The narrow lanes are waterlogged and airless, and here in India’s financial capital, a deadly disease is lurking at every door.Doctors on the ground estimate that tuberculosis has infiltrated almost every second home of this eastern urban compound, killing residents and

China’s latest aircraft carrier showcases new fighter jet launch system. Only the US has the same tech

China’s latest and most capable aircraft carrier has used its new electromagnetic catapult to successfully launch three types of aircraft, according to Chinese state media, which released footage of the launches for the first time to mark the technological breakthrough.In footage released by state broadcaster CCTV on Monday, China’s fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter, 4.5-generation J-15T

Why Trump Hasn't 'Lost' India to China

Speculation that India is gravitating toward China's orbit is overblown, analysts say. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China—his first in seven years—came amid Indian frustration over President Donald Trump's move to raise tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent in response to India's continued purchases of Russian oil.The move angered New Delhi, especially since China, Russia's top

Xi visits Xinjiang to mark region’s anniversary

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived to a jubilant celebration in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, part of a trip to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the region’s founding. Video from state TV showed dozens of dancing, flower-waving celebrants on the airport tarmac as Xi disembarked. State media reports say he met with representatives of ethnic groups

Why Donald Trump does what he does

Donald Trump’s presidency unspools so fast that it often looks like a set of outbursts fueled by nothing more than his own random obsessions.On Monday alone, the White House shattered scientific consensus on the causes of autism and designated a left-wing antifascist movement as a domestic terrorist group despite questions over whether it has the power to do so. Washington was reverberating with

The Art of Decline: How Trump's Dealmaking Has Degraded American Foreign Policy

The sight of the Indian, Russian, and Chinese heads of state holding hands in late August led even Donald Trump to concede that the U.S. had “lost” India and Russia to China. But the president suggested that he wasn’t bothered: “May they have a long and prosperous future together!” he wrote on Truth Social.Behind the display of bravado, Trump must surely have sensed that his approach to foreign

ICC charges Rodrigo Duterte with crimes against humanity

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The 80-year-old is accused of being criminally responsible for dozens of murders that allegedly took place as part of his so-called war on drugs, during which thousands of small-time drug dealers, users and others were killed without trial.The ICC's charge sheet,