Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 321

Nearly 30% think China likely to have spread Covid on purpose, UK poll finds

More than a quarter of people believe Covid-19 was likely to have been a biological weapon intentionally spread by the Chinese state, according to a new UK poll highlighting the spread of conspiracy theories. The findings are contained in a major report by the campaign group Hope Not Hate (HNH) warning that the rise of Covid conspiracy theories and the antilockdown movement are recruiting young

War in Ukraine: How Asian economies are divided over Russia sanctions

Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has become the world's most sanctioned country. But only a few governments in Asia have taken tough action against Moscow. China has refused to outright condemn the invasion of Ukraine and has not imposed any sanctions on Russia.India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Laos and Mongolia also sat out the vote on a United Nations' resolution to demand

North Korea recently tested intercontinental missile system: US

The US says N Korea recently tested parts of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, in what it called a "serious escalation". Pyongyang said the launches on 26 February and 4 March focused on developing a reconnaissance satellite. But the Pentagon now says the tests were experimental launches, before a likely full-range ICBM launch.With a minimum range of 5,500km (3,417 miles),

China eases control to let ruble fall faster against yuan

China is easing government exchange rate controls to let the Russian ruble fall faster in value against the Chinese yuan to help insulate Beijing from economic sanctions on Moscow. The margin by which the ruble is allowed to fluctuate against the yuan in state-controlled daily trading will be doubled in size to 10% above or below the day’s opening price starting Friday, the China Foreign Exchange

Premier Li offers China’s help for ‘grave’ Ukraine situation

China’s Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called the situation in Ukraine “grave” and offered Beijing’s help in playing a “positive role” for peace while continuing to refuse to criticize Russia. China has largely sided with Russia in the conflict, which it has refused to refer to as a war or invasion. The U.S. accuses Beijing of helping spread false news and disinformation coming out of Moscow.China

Taiwan minister: China war a disaster regardless of outcome

A conflict with China, which threatens to invade Taiwan, would be a disaster for all sides regardless of the outcome, the island’s defense minister said Thursday. China has largely backed Russia in invading Ukraine, a conflict that has echoes in Beijing’s approach to Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that it claims as Chinese territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. “Nobody wants

S. Korean president-elect pledges tougher stance on N. Korea

South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday he will solidify an alliance with the United States, build a powerful military and sternly cope with North Korean provocations, hours after he won a hard-fought election to become the country’s next leader.Yoon, a conservative whose single five-year term begins in May, said during the campaign that he would make a stronger alliance with the

The invasion of Ukraine puts Beijing in an uncomfortable position. That doesn’t mean it will distance itself from Moscow

Can China play peacemaker? That is the faint hope now being seized upon by western leaders desperate to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. “It has to be China,” said Josep Borrell, the UN foreign policy chief. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has said that “China is interested in stopping this war”. On Tuesday, Xi Jinping made his strongest statement on the war yet as the French president

China builds new bridge to Hong Kong to rush in workers as Covid cases surge

A temporary bridge linking Shenzhen and Hong Kong has been erected to help workers and materials from the mainland to enter the city as work began on a Covid-19 makeshift hospital to relieve pressure on the city’s overwhelmed medical system.Almost 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong this week to build the makeshift facility near Hong Kong’s

On Ukraine, the world acts; on Myanmar, it waits

The people of Myanmar may be in solidarity with their Ukrainian brethren, but they have every reason to be infuriated by the contrasting response from the international community to the crisis they face at home. Western nations and key Asian allies responded within days to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with tough sanctions and weapon supplies. The international reaction to the bloody military