Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 305

Russia invasion upends Olympic ‘neutrality’ — if it existed

The International Olympic Committee has always been political, from the sheikhs and royals in its membership to a seat at the United Nations to pushing for peace talks between the Koreas. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three weeks ago exposed its irreconcilable claims of “political neutrality.”The IOC’s politics were evident at Hitler’s 1936 Olympics. During the Cold War, the Games were a stage

Chinese virus cases climb, raise threat of trade disruption

Chinese authorities on Tuesday tightened anti-virus controls at ports, raising the risk of trade disruptions after some auto and electronics factories shut down as the government fights coronavirus outbreaks. Stock prices in China and Hong Kong sank for a second day following the shutdown on Monday of Shenzhen, a tech and finance hub adjacent to Hong Kong in the south, and Changchun, an auto

China has already decided to send economic aid to Russia in Ukraine conflict, US officials fear

China has already decided to provide Russia with economic and financial support during its war on Ukraine and is contemplating sending military supplies such as armed drones, US officials fear.The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, laid out the US case against Russia’s invasion in an “intense” seven-hour meeting in Rome with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, pointing out that Moscow

US urged China not to supply arms to Russia at ‘intense’ Rome meeting

The United States has held “intense” high-level talks with China in an effort to try to dissuade Beijing from supplying arms to Russia, at a meeting in Rome which the White House sees as critically important not just for the war in Ukraine but also for the future of the global balance of power.Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, met his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, for all-day

Torbjørn Færøvik: Kina trenger et autoritært Russland

Hva skjer hvis Putin faller? Hva slags Russland får vi da? I Beijing følger alvorlige menn dramaet fra time til time.Vanskelige, men opplagte spørsmål melder seg mens krigen fortsetter i Ukraina. Mange kjennere av Russland har antydet at krigen kan bli Putin-regimets endelikt. I Beijing følger alvorlige menn dramaet fra time til time.Kina kan kanskje forsone seg med et Russland uten Putin. Men

Top US and Chinese officials hold high-stakes meeting in Rome

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Monday with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome, Chinese state broadcaster CGTN reported. The Chinese state media report provided no further details on Monday's meeting, including the exact timing, what was discussed and whether the meeting had concluded.Experts say the meeting between senior American and Chinese officials could have

Covid-19 cases continue to rise in China's worst outbreak since Wuhan

China reported thousands of new local Covid-19 cases Sunday as the Omicron variant drove the worst outbreak in the country since Wuhan in early 2020, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). Health officials said 2,125 cases were reported across 58 cities in 19 of 31 mainland provinces, marking the fourth consecutive day China reported more than 1,000 daily local cases. More than 10,000

A Chinese Student’s Escape From War-Torn Ukraine

In just over two weeks since Russia started bombing cities in Ukraine, more than 2 million people have fled to neighboring countries. Scores of foreign nationals studying or working in the European country, along with Ukrainians, have made desperate journeys to flee the invasion. Chinese student Xu Shijie is one of them. The 23-year-old landed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv last August

Ukraine crisis: US warns China against helping Russia

China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions in its invasion of Ukraine, the US says. Unnamed US officials reportedly told multiple news outlets that Russia had asked China to provide military assistance after it began the invasion. The Chinese foreign ministry did not address the allegation directly, but accused the US of maliciously spreading disinformation about China.The

US will try to convince China not to supply arms to Russia at key Rome meeting

The United States will try to persuade China not to supply arms to Russia at a high-level meeting in Rome which the White House sees as critically important not just for the war in Ukraine but also for the future of the global balance of power.Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, will meet his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, in the Italian capital amid reports that Russia has asked