Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 232

Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to restore ties after China-brokered talks

Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two great oil-producing rivals of the Middle East, have agreed to restore ties and reopen embassies seven years after relations were severed. The agreement came after Chinese-brokered talks held in Beijing. “As a result of the talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies … within two months,” Iran’s state news agency Irna

Hong Kong court jails Tiananmen anniversary vigil organisers

A Hong Kong court has jailed three former members of a group that organised annual vigils to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in China. Chow Hang-tung, 38, a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, was among those convicted by a magistrate’s court. The two others were Tang

Outgoing president of Micronesia accuses China of bribery, threats and interference

China is engaged in “political warfare” in the Pacific, the outgoing president of the Federated States of Micronesia has alleged in an excoriating letter, accusing Beijing officials of bribing elected officials in Micronesia, and even “direct threats against my personal safety”.Two months before his term as president expires, David Panuelo’s letter alleged China is preparing for conflict over the

China and Russia have deep defense sector ties. Putin’s war has not changed that, data show

Chinese state-owned defense firms have maintained trade relationships with sanctioned Russian defense companies during the past year, even as many of the world’s leading economies cut ties with Moscow and the companies driving its continued assault on Ukraine. Customs records reviewed by CNN show key companies within both countries’ vast military-industrial complexes have continued their

Xi Jinping secures unprecedented third term as China’s president in ceremonial vote

Xi Jinping’s unprecedented third term as China’s president was officially endorsed by the country’s political elite on Friday, solidifying his control and making him the longest-serving head of state of Communist China since its founding in 1949. Xi was reappointed Friday as president for another five years by China’s rubber-stamp legislature in a ceremonial vote in Beijing’s Great Hall of the

North Korea fires at least six short-range missiles

North Korea fired off at least six short-range missiles on Thursday afternoon in what could be the opening salvo in weeks of military displays on both sides of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, analysts said. Photos released by state-run media Rodong Sinmun on Friday showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending the Hwasong artillery unit’s fire drill on the western front.“Kim

US intel chiefs say China likely to press Taiwan and seek to undercut US

US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told Congress Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to press Taiwan and try to undercut US influence in the coming years as he begins a third term as president. While Beijing has stepped up its public criticism of the US, Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the intelligence community assesses that China still

US generals warn China is aggressively expanding its influence in South America and the Caribbean

Senior US generals issued stark warnings to lawmakers about what they described as an “aggressive” expansion of Chinese influence in South America and the Caribbean encroaching on American interests in the region.“The [People’s Republic of China] has the capability and intent to eschew international norms, advance its brand of authoritarianism, and amass power and influence at the expense of

China ups diplomatic offensive with drastic increase in budget – and hardened stance on US

After three years of largely self-imposed isolation on the global stage, China is aiming to up its diplomatic offensive and win back lost ground – all while hardening its public stance toward its superpower rival, the United States. Qin Gang, Beijing’s new foreign minister, on Tuesday declared that “China’s diplomacy has pressed the ‘accelerator button,’” citing the country’s recovery from the

Tawang: The Indian monastery town coveted by China

High in the Himalayas, the holy town of Tawang is one of the most intractable issues in the border dispute between India and China - and a potential flashpoint for future conflict. Along snow-capped ridges to its north, soldiers from Asia's two biggest armies face off, sometimes just a few hundred metres apart. Last December, they clashed in what some experts saw as a worrying sign of how things