Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 210

US defense chief hails security partnerships in Asia in face of Russia, China threats

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday hailed the arrival of a “new convergence” in the Indo-Pacific, as the United States fortifies strategic and security partnerships in the region amid rising threats from China and Russia. “Today, we are witnessing a new convergence around nearly all aspects of security in the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in

The Future According to Xi and Putin: A ChinaFile Conversation

On May 16 and 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a state visit to China, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.On the opening day of the 2022 Winter Olympics, just 20 days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two leaders had met in Beijing and declared a “no limits” partnership. On March 22, 2023, at the end of a state visit to Russia, as Xi left the Kremlin he told Putin, “

Japanese academic: China has pushed the Philippines to the US’s side

Increased cooperation between the US and its ally, the Philippines, will strengthen the US military presence in East Asia. Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US, the Marcos government added four bases to the list of five bases in the Philippines available to the US military, including two in the northern Philippines near Taiwan.In addition, the Philippine and

Amid US flirtation, Cambodia stresses ‘steel’ ties to China

Just days before a visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen said Tuesday his son’s new government will maintain Phnom Penh’s “steel” ties to Beijing. After attending the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this week, where he will hold talks with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, Austin will on Saturday travel to Phnom Penh, where he is set to meet with Prime

Don’t talk to media, Tiananmen massacre families warned ahead of June 4 anniversary

Chinese authorities have ordered relatives of those who died in the 1989 Tiananmen massacre not to give media interviews, while veteran activists who took part in the pro-democracy movement that year are slapped with restrictions as part of a nationwide "stability maintenance" operation ahead of the 35th anniversary of the bloodshed, Radio Free Asia has learned.A security guard has been posted

Teen Tibetan monk takes own life after being forced to leave monastery

A 17-year-old Tibetan Buddhist monk who was forced to leave his monastery and join a government-run school committed suicide after authorities said he could no longer wear his maroon robes, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Radio Free Asia. Kunzang Longyang died in mid-April in Qinghai province’s Drakkar County, the sources said on condition of anonymity, citing safety

2024 Global Forecast: The China Challenge

While there is rampant speculation aboutwhether Chinese president Xi Jinpingwill take military action against Taiwanby 2027, there is 100 percent certainty he will useeconomic coercion against unsuspecting governmentsand private companies. Over the past 15 years,China has used economic coercion against 18 countriesand over 400 companies, causing tens of billionsof dollars in damage,

The Chinese Communist Party: A 100-Year Trajectory

The small grouping of intellectuals who gathered in July 1921 in the French concession of Shanghai has magnified into one of the largest and most formidable political parties in history. Created with fewer than 60 members, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) now numbers more than 95 million. From a revolutionary party that emerged in the aftermath of the collapse of the Chinese Empire and World War

US 'deeply concerned' over China military drills in Taiwan Strait, State Dept says

The U.S. State Department said on Saturday that the United States was "deeply concerned" over China's military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan, and strongly urged it to act with restraint. "Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability

In China, a Major Battle Between Publishers and Big Tech

China’s big tech companies have long held enormous leverage over the publishing industry, as e-commerce accounts for an estimated 88% of book sales in the country. This has enabled platforms like JD.com to force publishers to offer heavy discounts on their titles in order to take part in major online shopping events.But many publishers appear to have drawn the line ahead of “618” — China’s