Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 279

China expands Covid testing to almost all of Beijing’s 22 million residents

Beijing has swiftly expanded its Covid-19 mass testing from one district this week to most of the city of nearly 22 million, adding to expectations of an imminent lockdown similar to Shanghai’s. The Chinese capital began testing the residents of its most populous district, Chaoyang, on Monday. By the end of the day, even though only a fraction of the results had come out, the city decided to

Global stocks fall amid fears of new Covid lockdowns in China

Global stock markets fell sharply on Monday as fears of new lockdowns in China added to concerns over the health of the world economy. China’s benchmark share index posted its biggest one-day tumble since February 2020, after Beijing’s biggest district began mass testing for Covid-19 because of a rise in infections in the capital.The CSI 300 index fell by 4.9% to hit its lowest level since late

Fast, precise, too tough? Lockdowns risk stalling China’s economy

Veteran lorry driver Meng Hong has become an unlikely social media star in recent weeks. Since March, his short video talks about life on the road during Covid outbreaks on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, have won him millions of likes.Most of Meng’s videos had been about “spreading positive energy” as he wrote in his account description. But on 13 April, he began to complain about what

How Russia and China Use Disinformation to Justify Internment Camps

After failing to conquer Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv, Russia has turned its focus toward the east of the country, staging an offensive campaign against the strategically significant city of Mariupol, which lies between Russian-annexed Crimea and the contested Donbas region. Part of Russia's strategy to exert dominance in this region has allegedly been to remove potential combatants from the

Layoffs at China’s Internet Giants Indicate a Deeper Dilemma

The wave of layoffs in Chinese internet companies is intensifying, with JD.com becoming the center of attention. According to a document that has been circulating online, JD.com’s layoffs cover a wide range of business lines. The e-commerce company’s subsidiaries such as Jingxi, JD Worldwide, JD Retail, JD Logistics, and JD Technology have set layoff ratios, most of which are between 10 to 30

Ukraine War Will Change China's Invasion Plans—Taiwan Defense Minister

The challenges faced by Russia throughout its invasion of Ukraine will force China to change its own invasion playbook, Taiwan's defense minister said on Wednesday. The consensus among military strategists is that, as with the Kremlin, the leadership in Beijing plans for a swift and decisive victory when it moves to annex neighboring Taiwan in the future. However, many believe Russia's lack of

Xi Jinping Pushes China's Own Vision for 'Global Security'

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has articulated plans to reshape the international order in his country's favor on the back of the war in Ukraine, proposing on Thursday a "global security initiative" that he suggests will prevent future conflicts. Russia's standoff with the West has become a proxy battle of political systems and ideologies in the eyes of leaders in Beijing. China leaning toward Russia—

How Russia and China Use Disinformation to Justify Internment Camps

After failing to conquer Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv, Russia has turned its focus toward the east of the country, staging an offensive campaign against the strategically significant city of Mariupol, which lies between Russian-annexed Crimea and the contested Donbas region.Part of Russia's strategy to exert dominance in this region has allegedly been to remove potential combatants from the

Hong Kong and Shanghai lose their international luster as Covid restrictions bite

The glittering skylines of Hong Kong and Shanghai have long been associated with wealth and glamor.But in recent weeks, they have become synonymous with a much grimmer reality, as authorities in the two international finance hubs struggle to contain raging Omicron outbreaks. Extreme Covid measures have heavily restricted the lives of residents in both cities, with Shanghai now entering the third

Why India can buy Russian oil, and still be friends with the US

What a difference a few weeks make. Just last month India was taking flak from the West for its relationship with Russia. Not only was the South Asian country refusing to condemn Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine, but its purchases of discounted Russian oil -- said critics -- were flying in the face of sanctions aimed at crippling the Kremlin's finances.And the White House was making its