Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 281

Chinese court sentences US citizen Shadeed Abdulmateen to death for murder

A Chinese court sentenced an American citizen to death on Thursday for allegedly murdering his former girlfriend, state media reported. Shadeed Abdulmateen, who taught at the Ningbo University of Technology, was charged with the intentional homicide of a 21-year-old Chinese woman surnamed Chen, according to Chinese state media.After a disagreement over their breakup in June 2019, Abdulmateen

Why Australia and the US care so much about China's security pact with a tiny Pacific island nation

When China announced it had inked a security pact with a tiny Pacific island nation this week, there was little fanfare -- at least from Beijing. As China put it, it was a mutually beneficial agreement aimed at creating peace and stability in the Solomon Islands, a country with a population less than half the size of Manhattan that was rocked by violent protests last year.But other countries saw

Many factory workers in Shanghai can't get back to work, even after Covid controls ease

Foreign businesses are struggling to bring workers back to factories after weeks of lockdowns in Shanghai, as the country battles its worst Covid outbreak since the pandemic began. Nearly a month since Covid restrictions began in earnest in Shanghai, U.S. and European businesses say that less than half of their employees are able to return to work.Since March, mainland China has imposed travel

South Korea and North Korea leaders sent 'personal letters' to each other this week

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un responded to a personal letter from outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in this week, the North's state news agency KCNA reported. According to KCNA, Moon said he want to make joint declarations from the two sides "the foundation for the reunification" even after he steps down as president. Kim "appreciated the pains and effort taken" by Moon, the report said.

Biden’s Problem With India

When the Indian foreign and defense ministers went to Washington last week for the high-level 2+2 talks with the United States, they were hoping to put India’s strategic partnership with the U.S. back on track. Unfortunately, the meetings — or at least the press briefings that followed — were dominated by the fracas over Ukraine and concerns over human rights abuses in India.All told, for

India and the US: Defense Collaboration Is Key

India and the United States need a landmark defense deal to strengthen their defense ties, similar to the 2005 nuclear agreement, which marked a turning point in their overall bilateral relationship. Such a deal will demonstrate to India that the U.S is capable of being a strong ally as Russia has been.Ten year after the U.S. set up the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) with India

Why China Isn’t Backing Away From Alignment With Russia

China claims to be neutral in Russia’s war in Ukraine, but this neutrality is easy to see through: Beijing refuses to criticize Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it blames the United States and NATO for inciting the war. So far, the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for A New Era” between Russia and China, concluded in 2019 and

What the PLA Is Learning From Russia’s Ukraine Invasion

On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine in what Moscow calls a “special military operation.” The ongoing war has already had a great impact on the whole world. China, in particular, has become a focus of attention in the international community because of its close interactions with Russia in recent years. Its stance on the armed conflict in Ukraine is a matter of great concern to many countries,

Solomon Islands: China deal in Pacific stokes Australian fears

Australia, New Zealand and the US have raised concerns on security in the Pacific, after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands. The deal was signed this week, fuelling fears China may seek to build a naval base in the Pacific nation. The Solomon Islands had rebuffed last ditch efforts by Australia - its biggest aid donor - to stop the deal.Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the

Hunger and anger in Shanghai's unending lockdown nightmare

When my 73-year-old father raised concern about his shrinking food supply late last week, the catastrophe brought by Shanghai's citywide Covid lockdown suddenly hit home. "Will be running out in a few days if no government handout soon," he messaged me Thursday. Then, as if anticipating my inevitable worry, he added: "Still have some rice and crackers -- and plenty of coffee."It was a startling