Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 305

China could make a U-turn to stop its companies being kicked off Wall Street

China is extending an olive branch to the United States in a bid to prevent Chinese firms from being kicked off the US stock market. The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country's top securities watchdog, has proposedchanging a decade-old rule that forbids Chinese firms from sharing sensitive data and financial information with overseas regulators.The amendment might allow US

China drafts in the military as Shanghai ordered to test 25 million residents for Covid

When it comes to China's signature zero-Covid health policy, the country's leaders have made it clear: Shanghai is too big to fail. The city, which is grappling with a record number of daily Covid cases, has become the biggest -- and potentially costliest -- example of China's insistence on adhering to its strict elimination strategy.On Sunday, the ruling Communist Party announced the deployment

Shanghai to New York in two hours? China joins the hypersonic flight race

Shanghai to New York in just a couple of hours? Not a problem when you fly in a hypersonic space plane. Beijing-based Space Transportation (aka Lingkong Tianxing in China) aims to make this prospect a reality with the development of a passenger-carrying vehicle that can hurtle across the skies at one mile per second -- over twice the speed of Concorde. The firm has released an animated publicity

Sri Lanka MPs leave Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led coalition

More than 40 MPs have left Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's coalition government. MPs from parties aligned with Mr Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led coalition said they would now independently represent themselves. It comes as the South Asian nation is grappling with power cuts and shortages due to an economic and foreign exchange crisis. This has led to mass protests

81-year-old Tibet man dies after self-immolation protest at Kirti Monastery

An 81-year-old Tibetan man has died after a self-immolation protest over Chinese rule, setting himself on fire last week at a police station in front of a major monastery in the western Chinese province of Sichuan, a source from the monastery’s branch in India told RFA late Saturday. The burning death on March 27 of a man identified as Taphun raises to 160 the number of Tibetans confirmed to have

‘Taiwan is not Ukraine’ – but Beijing’s attempt to explain the difference ignores key questions

On the face of it, China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have a lot in common. Both are ageing all-powerful national leaders, both are survivors of the 20th century’s communist-led revolutions, and both are looking to create legacy projects worthy of their grand ambitions.  That means righting wrongs imposed by the past victories of Western intruders and restoring what was lost to the

Satisfaction with Hong Kong’s press freedom drops to record low, poll finds

Hongkongers’ satisfaction with press freedom and media outlets in the city has dropped to a record low, a poll has found. The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) published the results of a telephone survey involving 1,004 respondents’ “appraisal of news media.” The survey found that 28 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with the level of press freedom in Hong Kong,

China’s Position on Ukraine Will Be Determined by Events on the Battlefield

When Moscow ordered tanks to roll into its neighbor’s capital, the world watched with dismay as Beijing stayed silent. The “situation is rather complicated,” read one Foreign Ministry cable to its local embassy; “‘much listening, little speaking’ is necessary.” On the day of the invasion, the Chinese government called for “mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.” But when the

Shanghai lockdown: Economy shaken by zero-Covid measures

From Tesla's giga factory to a huge Disney resort, many multinational companies have their Chinese foothold in Shanghai. But in recent days the usually bustling financial centre has been stopped in its tracks after a spike in coronavirus cases. With little notice, officials imposed two staggered waves of lockdowns on the city's more than 26m residents. The eastern side of Shanghai has just been

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam won't seek second term

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term in office after a controversial tenure that has seen many of the territory's civil freedoms eroded. As chief executive, Ms Lam oversaw a turbulent period where massive pro-democracy protests led to greater Chinese control in Hong Kong.Ms Lam, 64, was Beijing's handpicked choice entering office in 2017. On Monday, she told