Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 316

Beijing Olympics hit the heights -- and the depths

A giant Chinese knot symbolizing fortune and unity welcomed the athletes who paraded into Beijing's Bird's Nest for the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. For an athlete who hasn't won a medal, such as Jamaican bobsledder Rolando Reid, whose team ranked 28th, carrying the flag provides a special moment, but it is one enjoyed by medalists, too, such as Canadian speed skater

Why China Will Not Support a Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Facing the Ukraine stand-off, the United States is very concerned about Russia and China’s interactions. For example, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby called China’s “tacit support” for Moscow “deeply alarming.” Kirby seemed to imply that China supports Russia’s possible invasion of Ukraine. U.S. concern is understandable, but some U.S. officials seem to be misjudging both China-Russia

Nixon and China: 50 Years Later

From the moment U.S. President Richard Nixon landed in China on February 21, 1972, he understood that global politics would undergo a transformation that would last well into the 21st century and beyond. Indeed, even before that dramatic historic moment, Nixon envisioned China’s rise in an article he wrote in Foreign Affairs in 1967. And in his post-presidential years, he wrote a series of books

How will the Beijing Games be remembered?

The Olympic flame has been extinguished. So what does the afterglow look like. As a sporting event, it has been spectacular. However, when it is remembered in the years to come, this is what will most likely be talked about: a US-born athlete competing for China; a Russian teenager allowed to compete despite testing positive for a banned substance; a virally popular mascot; and a debilitating

Fifty years on, ‘Nixon in China’ loses its sparkle in Beijing and Washington

On a brisk winter day in February 1972, the 34-year-old American diplomat, Winston Lord, arrived in Beijing with his boss, Henry Kissinger, and president Richard Nixon. Barely an hour after they checked in to their guest house, a message came: “Chairman Mao wants to see president Nixon.”The urgency from Mao resonated with the excitement from the American delegation. The establishment of bilateral

Fifty years after Nixon's historic visit to China, questions hang over the US-China future

When US President Richard Nixon walked down the red-carpeted stairs from Air Force One to shake hands with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on a cold day in Beijing on February 21, 1972, it was hailed by many as a world-changing gesture. Nixon's arrival -- the first time an American President had set foot on Chinese soil since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 -- came after

“Ping­Pong Diplomacy”: The Historic Opening of Sino­American Relations during the Nixon Administration

In 1970, relations between the United States and China were characterized by derisive propaganda, trade embargos, and mounting tension over international issues. In the ensuing forty years, the two countries developed into the two largest economies in the world, and the SinoAmerican liaison came to be described as the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century. The “ping-pong”

50 years ago: 1972 visit by Richard Nixon to China

The 1972 visit by United States President Richard Nixonto the People's Republic of China (PRC) was an important strategic and diplomatic overture that marked the culmination of the Nixon administration's resumption of harmonious relations between the United States and mainland China after years of diplomatic isolation. The seven-day official visit to three Chinese cities was the first time a U.S.

UiBs rektor legg kinasatsing i skuffen. — Vil ikkje inn i avtalar vi ikkje kan stå inne for

Dagens rektor ved UiB ønskjer ikkje å vidareføre den høgprofilerte satsinga på forskings- og utdanningssamarbeid med Kina. — UiBs kinastrategi går ut i år. Eg kjem ikkje til å ta initiativ til å lage ein ny strategi for Kina på institusjonelt nivå, seier Hagen til Khrono. Hagen seier ho ikkje «ser behovet» for å vidareføre handlingsplanen.Det er knappe fire år sidan UiB etablerte forskings- og

China was a brutal communist menace. In 1972, Richard Nixon visited, anyway.

Chinese dictator Mao Zedong woke up early and got a shave and a haircut for the first time in months. He put on a crisp new suit and new shoes specially made for the occasion. He sat down in an armchair in the study of his home, a porcelain spittoon on the floor nearby. Not far away, President Richard M. Nixon rested in a guesthouse, making notes on a legal pad. He wore a dress shirt with cuff