Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 281

Mass DNA Collection in the Tibet Autonomous Region from 2016–2022

Analyzing 100 publicly available sources, we find that since June 2016 China’s police have conducted a mass DNA collection program in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Out of the 100 sources we analyzed, 44 contained figures for the number of DNA samples police had collected in particular areas of Tibet. Based on our analysis of these 44 reports, we estimate that between June 2016 and July 2022,

Uyghur kids recall physical and mental torment at Chinese boarding schools in Xinjiang

In quiet, polite voices, Aysu and Lütfullah Kuçar describe the nearly 20 months they spent in state boarding schools in China's western region of Xinjiang, forcibly separated from their family. Under the watchful gaze of their father, the two ethnically Uyghur children say that their heads were shaved and that class monitors and teachers frequently hit them, locked them in dark rooms and forced

Now Is the Moment for Global Solidarity with China's Ethnic Minorities

President Xi Jinping is on the verge of securing an unprecedented third term as the leader of the world’s most populous country, the People's Republic of China. On October 16th, the Communist Party congress will declare Jinping as China's ruler for an additional five years. Such congresses typically bring in a new batch of rulers but Xi, who is also head of state and leader of the military,

Report: Defending Democracy in Exile

Over the past year, governments around the world have engaged in increasingly brazen attempts to stifle dissent by attacking critics who live abroad. Belarusian authorities forced an international airliner to land so they could detain a journalist who was on board. Iranian agents conspired to kidnap a women’s rights activist from her home in Brooklyn. Turkish intelligence officers abducted the

How to Resist China’s Campaign of Transnational Repression

A recent report from Freedom House, “Defending Democracy in Exile,” examines how democracies can respond to incidents of transnational repression and identifies weak spots in existing security, migration, and foreign policies that may be exploited by autocrats seeking to control dissent abroad. An effective response requires the recognition that campaigns like the Chinese government’s are a

Think Putin is a global threat? Then we need to talk about Xi Jinping

Like fearsome dictators throughout history, Xi Jinping has a tender side. He loves his mum. In a touching puff piece on Mother’s Day this year, state TV showed China’s strongman president strolling hand in hand with 96-year-old Qi Xin, a Communist party veteran and proud mother of the paramount leader. Many mums read fairy stories or sing nursery rhymes to their young children. Not so Qi. She

Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild

As part of a massive nationwide campaign to combat the growing issue of fraud and telecommunication fraud by Chinese nationals living abroad, Chinese authorities claim that from April 2021 to July 2022, 230,000 nationals had been “persuaded to return” to face criminal proceedings in China.This campaign, which started on a humble scale in 2018, has developed alongside the establishment of overseas

U.S. Government: China and the South China Sea

In the years since the Department of State published Limits in the Seas No. 143 in 2014 and the arbitral tribunal issued its decision in The South China Sea Arbitration in 2016, the PRC has advanced a new articulation of its maritime claims in the South China Sea. These expansive maritime claims are plainly inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Convention.The PRC’s claim to “

THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE OVER AI SURVEILLANCE

Chinese companies remain at the forefront when it comes to providing advanced artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools that enable governments to carry out mass surveillance. These firms are seeking out new markets vigorously, and state subsidies often support their efforts. Governments around the world have eagerly adopted the low-cost imports enabled by these policies:

GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AI AND DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE ADOPTION

The increasing sophistication and spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital surveillance technologies has drawn concerns over privacy and human rights. China is indisputably one of the leaders in developing these technologies both for domestic and international use. However, other countries that are active in this space include the United States, Israel, Russia, multiple European