Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 215

How the Dragon King Emerged From the Waves

Of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon, or loong, is the only one that doesn’t exist in the real world. Its inclusion highlights the magical creature’s status in Chinese culture, yet few might be aware of its more divine qualities. In ancient Chinese mythology, the dragon was a powerful rainmaker. During the Han dynasty (202 B.C.–220 A.D.), people made clay dragons to use in rituals

INTERVIEW: PERRY LINK ON HIS NEW BOOK, “I HAVE NO ENEMIES: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LIU XIAOBO”

Liu Xiaobo (1955-2017) is a monumental figure in modern Chinese history. The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate died in custody in a Shenyang hospital in 2017 while being treated for liver cancer. A prolific writer, Liu first rose to international fame as a “dark horse” literary critic in the 1980s. In 1989, Liu left his position as a visiting professor at Columbia University to mentor the leaders

What Does the Party Stand to Gain from AI?

Since ChatGPT was unveiled to the world just over two years ago, prompting what some have called an “artificial intelligence revolution,” China has been playing catch-up. But when it comes to applying AI to super-fuel the media control and propaganda objectives of the government, both at home and overseas, China may be ahead of the game — even if the results so far are mixed.For a closer look at

The Uyghurs: What has been erased cannot be replaced

In 1998 photographer Kevin Bubriski spent a time among the Uyghurs in Kashgar, their ancient capital city in the Xinjiang region of China. His photographs are a glimpse into the lives of a people whose city and culture have been forever altered by repression under China’s President Xi Jinping.The Xinjiang region of China, known officially as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), in the

U.S. Department of Defense: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China

The PRC’s national strategy is to achieve “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049. The strategy is a determined pursuit of political, social, and military modernity to expand the PRC’s national power, perfect its governance, and revise the international order in support of the PRC’s system of governance and national interests. The PRC views the United States as deploying a

From China's Past: The Fifth Modernization - Democracy, by Wei Jingsheng (1978)

Wei Jingsheng, born in 1950, was in many ways typical of his generation. Growing up in the “new China,” he was well instructed in Marxism and Mao Zedong Thought. During the Cultural Revolution Wei, like many young Chinese, took advantage of the chaotic times to travel widely around the country. Like many of his generation, he was “sent down” to the countryside during the later part of the

FBI Director Christopher Wray: The CCP Cyber Threats to the American Homeland and National Security

Chinese government hacking efforts now target the entire American populace, and the escalating urgency of the overall threat that China poses to U.S. national security requires more investment in the FBI’s capabilities, FBI Director Wray warned lawmakers during a January 31 appearance before the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese

From China’s Past: The Coolie Trade Began in Poor Chinese Villages

When the merchant ship Kate Hooper left Hong Kong in July 1857 for Havana, Cuba, it was embarking on a journey that was expected to be a routine sailing, much like that of many ships of the time, carrying lucrative cargo to the West. The 15,576-mile journey, however, proved to be anything but normal or routine.During the 174-day trip to Cuba, the Kate Hooper would endure official scorn, the death

China's new fascist style law on patriotic education

China's new law on patriotic education was adopted by the national "people's" congress in October and came into force January 1. Hitler and Mussolini would for sure have applauded the law as patriotic education is equaled with the cult of socialism, the party and the "great leader". You cannot love your country unless you love Xi Jinping and his communist party. They are interconnected and

Torbjørn Færøvik: Kina befinner seg i en ond spiral

Om tolv dager tar Kina fatt på Dragens år, og dragen bringer hell og lykke. «Hell og lykke? Dette er overtro. Slik forholdene nå er, kan ingen, ikke engang drager, hjelpe oss ut av problemene», skrev en mismodig kineser på nettstedet Weibo for litt siden. Ytringen ble straks slettet av kommunistpartiets nettpoliti.Offisielt hadde Kina i fjor en økonomisk vekst på 5,2 prosent. Mange ble positivt