Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 296

China lockdowns: The economic cost of a zero-Covid policy

War. Inflation. And now, Covid lockdown deja vu in China. It is a perfect storm for the global supply chain - how goods and materials get from other countries to you and me. When disruptions take place in China, it is significant because about a third of the world's entire manufacturing capacity is based in the country. If you're buying something online there's a very good chance it was made in

Shanghai escalates Covid lockdown restrictions

Authorities in Shanghai have said they will tighten the enforcement of lockdown measures, as a Covid surge continues in China's financial capital. New measures include placing electronic door alarms to prevent those infected from leaving, as well as evacuating people to disinfect their homes. Earlier this week, hundreds were forcibly evacuated from their homes to allow for buildings to be

Taiwan investigates local TV network after it aired false reports of Chinese invasion

The Taiwanese government is investigating a local TV news station after it aired alarming false reports of a Chinese invasion against the self-ruled island. During a Wednesday morning newscast on the government-affiliated Chinese Television System (CTS), part of the public Taiwan Broadcasting System, the network ran several fictional news tickers about China firing missiles toward the capital

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