Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 343

Xi’s ‘Communism With Chinese Characteristics’ Has Triggered A Religious Revival

Since the dawn of the 20th century, China has been deeply concerned about the place of religion in the country’s society and politics. Both the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist party tended to associate religion with China’s corrupt, inefficient and feudal past presided over by a series of Emperors claiming a divine right to rule. Therefore, both the nationalist KMT led by Sun

Sri Lanka Seeks Chinese Debt Restructuring Amid Crisis

The president of debt-ridden Sri Lanka on Sunday asked China for the restructuring of its loans and access to preferential credit for imports of essential goods, as the island nation struggles in the throes of its worst economic crisis, partly due to Beijing-financed projects that don’t generate revenue. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that it would be

Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to four years in prison

Myanmar's ousted civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced to another four years in prison on Monday, the second round of verdicts against the Nobel prize winner. Suu Kyi was found guilty of multiple charges that include possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies, a source with knowledge of the court proceedings told CNN.Suu Kyi, 76, was Myanmar's state counselor and de facto leader of the

‘I’m more worried than excited about the future’: Japan’s Coming of Age Day tinged with anxiety

On the second Monday in January every year, Japan’s 20-year-olds put on their best kimono and suits, brave the winter chill and congregate at event halls across the country to celebrate their official passage into adulthood.In happier times, Coming of Age Day is a time to reunite with old school friends from the same neighbourhood and take endless commemorative photos, knowing that a party

Kazakhstan is huge for crypto mining. Political upheaval could jeopardize that

Political turmoil in Kazakhstan is hitting the country's vast bitcoin mining industry. The Central Asian nation plunged into chaos as violent protests sparked by rising fuel prices left dozens killed and hundreds injured. As part of the mayhem, internet and telecommunications cuts have been reported nationwide — and that's having an impact on local cryptocurrency mining operations, which are

Inequality is driving protest against Kazakhstan’s authoritarian government

Almaty, the commercial capital of Kazakhstan, is the kind of mirage that oil-rich nations so often produce. It has all the trappings of comfort and consumer excess: swanky shopping malls, luxury car dealerships, high-end hotels. This is the image of prosperity that the country’s rulers enjoy projecting to the world. For decades, Kazakhs have been encouraged to take out expensive loans to

Beijing 2022 opening ceremony will be historic, says director

Expect a Beijing 2022 opening ceremony that is "different" from that of the 2008 Games with a way of cauldron lighting "unprecedented in the over 100-year history of the Olympic Games," as disclosed by chief director Zhang Yimou.Zhang, who directed the opening and closing ceremonies for Beijing's 2008 Games, will be behind the wheel again for the ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter

Stance on Russia, China a test for new German government

Germany has found itself facing a series of challenges in its relations with Russia and China that have been testing the foreign policy mettle of the new government since it took office last month. Among them are Moscow’s military buildup near Ukraine and the diplomatic fallout from a court verdict finding that the Russian government was behind the 2019 killing of a Chechen dissident in Berlin.

China’s Tianjin testing all residents after omicron found

Tianjin, a major Chinese port city near the capital Beijing, began mass testing of its 14 million residents on Sunday after a cluster of 20 children and adults tested positive for COVID-19, including at least two with the omicron variant. Those infected include 15 students from 8 to 13 years old, a staff member at an after-school center and four parents. The citywide testing is to be completed

China Could Curb Reliance on U.S. Dollar, Avoid Sanctions Through Digital Currency Apps

The People's Bank of China unrolled a digital currency app that will allow users in 10 of the country's major population centers to create e-wallets and make purchases using a digital version of the country's currency, the renminbi. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, the digital form of the renminbi is controlled by the country's banking system and can be regulated through a