Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 328

For all its parallels, Ukraine war feels distant in Taiwan

The Russian attack on Ukraine has put a spotlight on another place that could face an invasion by its larger neighbor, as some analysts draw quick comparisons to China’s threats to assert its control over self-ruled Taiwan. While similarities exist and Taiwan is a democracy that has defied a more powerful authoritarian government, the differences are much greater. And for many on the island, the

The Ukraine crisis is a major challenge for China

Hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in eastern Ukraine, the US accused Moscow and Beijing of combining to create a "profoundly illiberal" world order. Yet State Department spokesman Ned Price also said that this was an opportunity for China to use its leverage with Russia to pull back Vladimir Putin, given the new "no limits" pact he signed with China's

Taiwan warns Chinese aircraft in its air defense zone

Taiwan's air force scrambled again on Thursday to warn away nine Chinese aircraft that entered its air defense identification zone, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said, on the same day that Russia invaded Ukraine, a crisis being watched closely in Taipei. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained of regular such missions by the Chinese air force over the last two years, though

China ponders how Russia’s actions in Ukraine could reshape world order

The news came as a surprise to many in Beijing. Barely 24 hours ago, Chinese pundits predicted that a war in Ukraine was not inevitable. In New York, as Russia geared up for a full-on assault on its neighbour, China’s UN envoy, Zhang Jun, urged in a security council meeting that “the door to a peaceful solution to the Ukraine issue is not fully shut, nor should it be shut”.But when people in Kyiv

Many in China draw parallels between Ukraine and Beijing's claim on Taiwan

Beijing on Thursday called for restraint following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but said the movement of troops wasn't an invasion, and came against "a very complicated historical background." "China is closely monitoring the latest situation. We call on all sides to exercise restraint to prevent the situation from getting out of control," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying

Swedish olympic champion gives gold medal to man imprisoned in China

A Swedish speedskater who won double Olympic gold earlier this month in Beijing, has given one of his medals to a Swedish publisher detained in China, Amnesty International said Friday. Nils van der Poel gave the medal to the daughter of Gui Minhai, a naturalized Swede who co-owned a Hong Kong store which sold gossipy books about Chinese leaders. Gui went missing in 2015 from his seaside home in

Torbjørn Færøvik: Krigen som Kina ikke ønsket

Smilene satt løst da presidentene Vladimir Putin og Xi Jinping håndhilste i Beijing 3. februar, dagen før åpningen av vinterlekene. «Hallo», sa Putin til Xi, «det er godt å se deg igjen».Møtet var deres trettiåttende siden Xis maktovertakelse i 2012. Samtalen som fulgte avfødte en felles erklæring med løfter om vennskap og tett samarbeid. «Vårt vennskap kjenner ingen grenser, og ingen

Freedom in the World 2022 The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule

Global freedom faces a dire threat. Around the world, the enemies of liberal democracy—a form of self-government in which human rights are recognized and every individual is entitled to equal treatment under law—are accelerating their attacks. Authoritarian regimes have become more effective at co-opting or circumventing the norms and institutions meant to support basic liberties, and at

Amid Ukraine Crisis, Japan Toughens Stance on Russia

Japan has announced economic sanctions against Russia in response to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize the independence of – and deploy Russian troops to – two separatist-held areas in eastern Ukraine. On Wednesday Prime Minister Kishida Fumio condemned Russia’s actions as a breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law.In recent days Japan has

Voices From China: What the CCP Doesn’t Want You to Hear

It is easy for people around the world to fall under the impression that China speaks with one authoritarian voice. The content promoted by state media to foreign and domestic audiences is dominated by glowing coverage of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the Chinese internet is fraught with xenophobic chatter and bullying by nationalistic netizens. But this impression is