Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 238

China approves biggest expansion in new coal power plants since 2015, report finds

China approved the construction of another 106 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity last year, four times higher than a year earlier and the highest since 2015, research shows. Over the year, 50GW of coal power capacity went into construction across the country – up by more than half compared with the previous year – driven by energy security considerations, the Centre for Research on Energy

China and the Ukraine war: The real reason for Beijing's charm offensive

Over the past year, leaders in the West have tried to cajole China to help them end the Ukraine war. Now Beijing has given its firmest response yet - and it's not something many in the West would like. In recent days, China has launched an assertive charm offensive, kicking off with top diplomat Wang Yi's tour of Europe, which culminated in a warm welcome by Russian President Vladimir Putin in

US Dilemma: How to Confront China

In January, when the House stood up the only congressional committee focused on a single country—China—it gave the panel the unenviable task of de-risking the United States from its foremost geoeconomic rival.The committee's objectives are centered on closing the urgency gap that exists between policymakers in Washington and the people they serve, while ideally flipping a few skeptics along the

When States Buy Chinese, America Is Put at Risk

As a former Army Intelligence general, I shared Americans' contempt at the sight of a Chinese spy balloon floating above the United States earlier this month. It was a brazen symbol of disrespect for American sovereignty and our world-class detection capabilities. More troublingly, it was just the tip of a Chinese espionage iceberg inside the U.S.China is everywhere—operations targeting American

China's 12-Point Plan to End Ukraine War Includes Halting Russian Sanctions

China has called for a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia, according to a proposal released by its foreign ministry Thursday evening. The 12-point plan, which was issued at 9 a.m. Friday local time, comes after nearly a year of China serving as one of Moscow's closest allies while attempting to play neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war. Chinese President Xi Jinping also plans to deliver a "peace

China reiterates position on Ukraine in new 12-point paper as claims to neutrality questioned

China has reiterated its calls for a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion, as Beijing comes under increasing pressure from the United States and its allies over its growing partnership with Moscow.In a newly released position paper Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry called for a resumption of peace talks, an end to unilateral sanctions, and

US plans to expand training of Taiwanese forces

The US is planning to increase the number of US troops training Taiwanese forces on the self-governing island in the coming months, according to US officials. It is unclear how many additional US troops will take part in the expanded training efforts. On Tuesday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen told a visiting bipartisan US congressional delegation that the two militaries will cooperate “even

Indian opposition politician arrested for allegedly insulting PM Modi

A senior member of India’s main opposition Congress party has been arrested for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pawan Khera was arrested at Delhi Airport, where he was forced off a plane on Thursday alongside other party members, after he called Modi “Narendra Gautamdas Modi” - an apparent reference to embattled business magnate Gautam Adani.Adani, one of the wealthiest people

The heavily armed DMZ separating North and South Korea has become a wildlife haven

Between North and South Korea lies the demilitarized zone (DMZ), one of the world’s most heavily armed borders. The 160-mile stretch is barred with fences and landmines and is largely empty of human activity. But that isolation has inadvertently turned the area into a haven for wildlife. Google released street view images of the DMZ for the first time this week, offering a rare glimpse into the

China and Russia deepen ties as top diplomat tells Putin crisis is ‘opportunity’

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, has met Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as China and Russia reaffirm their close bilateral relationship just days before the first anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war. In brief televised remarks Wang said China and Russia were ready to deepen their strategic cooperation. Earlier on Wednesday, Wang met Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, where he said he