Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 34

US-Japan alliance will never be the same after Trump

Recent reports suggest that the US government has agreed to amend its executive order on tariffs so that Japan’s 15% reciprocal tariffs will not be stacked on top of existing duties, including on autos, and that any tariffs paid above that threshold would be refunded retroactively.At first glance, this seems like a step in the right direction for bilateral relations. Yet the reality runs deeper

Taiwan’s future precarious—with or without US-China conflict

Taiwan has often compared itself to being a “shrimp between two whales.” That expression has never been more apt than today with the US and China – which considers Taiwan to be part of its territory – locked in a standoff over the future of the island.At an event I attended some years ago, a Chinese scholar remarked when the issue of the US-China rivalry came up that they believed there was an

China’s ‘super-embassy’ plans in the heart of London anger locals who fear for their safety

It’s a quiet, unassuming road that lies a stone’s throw away from some of London’s most celebrated landmarks. But residents of Cartwright Street could soon be looking out of their windows to the balconies of Chinese embassy staff, if plans to build a new “super-embassy” in the area go ahead.China is pushing forward with designs for its new diplomatic outpost at Royal Mint Court, a large plot

Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China

Nvidia’s chips pose security concerns for China, a social media account affiliated with China’s state media said on Sunday, after Beijing raised concerns over backdoor access in those chips. The H20 chips are also not technologically advanced or environmentally friendly, the account, Yuyuan Tantian, which is affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said in an article published on WeChat.“When

That sinking feeling for Myanmar’s exiled opposition

Myanmar’s military regime has staged a cosmetic makeover in recent days. On July 30, the State Administration Council (SAC) junta transformed into the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC), ending a four-and-a-half-year state of emergency as preparations began for a year-end general election.After years of speculation following the February 2021 military coup, the junta’s “transition plan”

CHINA-TAIWAN WEEKLY UPDATE, AUGUST 8, 2025

The China-Taiwan Weekly Update is a joint product from the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute. The update supports the ISW–AEI Coalition Defense of Taiwan project, which assesses Chinese campaigns against Taiwan, examines alternative strategies for the United States and its allies to deter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggression, and—if necessary—defeat

Torbjørn Færøvik: U.S.-China Trade Talks: The Clock is Ticking

The clock is ticking. On August 12, Donald Trump’s deadline for trade talks with China expires. But there’s no guarantee the Chinese negotiators will bow to the self-styled world emperor in the White House.The underlying reality is this: China has been quietly working to reduce its dependence on the United States and the American economy.Take the oil sector. At U.S. oil terminals where “China

Torbjørn Færøvik: Klokken tikker og går. Klarer Trump å overtale Xi?

Klokken tikker og går. Den 12. august utløper Donalds Trumps forhandlingsfrist overfor Kina. Men det er slett ikke sikkert at de kinesiske forhandlerne vil bøye seg for den selvutnevnte verdenskeiseren i Det hvite hus.Saken er nemlig den: Kina arbeider i det stille for å gjøre seg mindre avhengig av USA og amerikansk økonomi. Ta oljesektoren. I de amerikanske oljeterminalene hvor «Kina-båtene»

What if India and China stop buying Russian oil?

India and China have pushed back against US President Donald Trump's threats of secondary sanctions — penalties for doing business with a sanctioned country — over their continued purchases of Russia's oil, which is a key revenue stream for Moscow's war in Ukraine. Both nations vowed to protect their energy security and economic sovereignty against what Beijing firmly called "coercion and

He escaped China. Harassment followed him to a New York courtroom

Ma Ju was in the kitchen making dinner on Christmas Eve 2023 when he heard a knock. The woman on the doorstep of his two-story suburban Long Island home held a manila envelope in her hand. “Mr. Ju Ma?” she asked. “Yes,” he said. She told him she was a lawyer from Nassau County, asked for his signature, and handed him the document.“My eyesight isn’t great,” Ma recalled with a weary chuckle. “I