Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 347

Chinese city of 1.2 million people locked down after three Covid cases emerge

Three asymptomatic cases of Covid-19 were enough for Chinese authorities to lock down a city of almost 1.2 million people on Monday, joining 13 million others in locked down Xi’an, where local authorities have asked for restrictions to be tightened even further.Beijing is holding on to its zero-Covid strategy ahead of the forthcoming Winter Olympics next month, and with local officials facing

Hong Kong: Activist gets 15 month term for Tiananmen vigil

Pro-democracy Hong Kong activist Chow Hang Tung has been found guilty of organising a 2021 vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. She was convicted on charges of inciting others to take part in an unauthorised assembly. Hong Kong authorities have banned the vigil for two straight years, citing Covid restrictions.Last month Chow received a 12-month sentence for inciting and

China: Xi'an residents in lockdown trade for food amid shortage

Some residents under quarantine in the Chinese city of Xi'an have resorted to bartering supplies in recent days, as worries of food shortages continue. Posts on social media show residents swapping supplies and even tech gadgets in exchange for food. About13 million have been confined to their homes since 23 December, and presently cannot leave to buy food. In recent days many have taken to

Tesla criticised for opening showroom in Xinjiang despite human rights abuses

Tesla has opened a new showroom in the capital of Xinjiang, a region at the heart of years-long campaign by Chinese authorities of repression and assimilation against the Uyghur people. Tesla announced the opening in Urumqi with a Weibo post on 31 December saying: “On the last day of 2021, we meet in Xinjiang. In 2022 let us together launch Xinjiang on its electric journey!”The post was

At India's Golden Temple, an intruder was allegedly beaten to death. So why don't politicians want to talk about it?

The throngs of worshipers were mid-prayer when a man emerged from the crowd and jumped over the barrier, entering into the sanctum of Sikhism's holiest shrine. He would not leave the Golden Temple alive. Within touching distance of Sikhism's holy book, the man grabbed a bejeweled ceremonial sword and swung it over his head. Almost instantly, and before he could strike anyone, half a dozen

Meet the New Uyghurs China’s propaganda narrative centers on the personal transformations of Uyghurs, removing the cultural and ethnic markers Beijing finds distasteful

In December 2019, CGTN, China’s overseas television service, broadcast a four-minute report entitled “What’s China’s ‘re-education camp’ in Xinjiang really about?” In the segment, CGTN anchor Wang Guan poses a question about internment camps in the Uyghur region: “Was that a campaign of religious repression, or an unprecedented effort of deradicalization?” To seek an answer, he visits Kashgar and

Contrary to much reporting, Vietnam has not authorized independent workers’ unions.

Vietnam is a one-party state with a single, state-led union federation, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL). Over the past couple of years, however, a number of English language commentators have claimed that Vietnam has now legalized independent trade unions.In 2019, just after the National Assembly approved a new Labor Code, Viet Nam News, the main English language newspaper of

Snøhetta Designs a "Forest of Knowledge" Library in Beijing

Following an international design competition win in 2018, Snøhetta and ECADI have been commissioned to design a new sub-center library in Beijing, offering visitors a contemporary space for learning and sharing knowledge while celebrating the rich cultural China and its capital. The library sets new standards for traditional library designs, featuring technology-driven designs and

Minxin Pei: The Security Consequences of America's China Focus

During the Cold War, Europe was America’s strategic priority. East Asia was largely a sideshow, even though the United States fought bloody wars in Korea and Vietnam, and also provided security for Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. But in the unfolding new cold war between the US and China, America’s strategic priorities have flipped. Today, US security strategy is dominated by the China threat,

Hong Kong 'patriots only' lawmakers swear loyalty oath

Lawmakers in Hong Kong's new "patriots only" legislature swore oaths of allegiance on Monday as it sat for the first time following a new selection process that barred the city's traditional democracy opposition. In a ceremony laden with symbolism reflecting Hong Kong's new political realities, 90 lawmakers took their oaths in the chamber where the city's traditional emblem had been replaced by