Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 359

Why China Continues to Rise

In just four decades, China’s economy has achieved an unprecedented level of wealth and development, and, until recently, its upward trajectory of economic growth and prosperity seemed set to continue. But as political pressures and the coronavirus push many countries – particularly the United States – to embrace more nationalist policies, the heyday of globalization soon could be replaced by a

Rollercoasters, horses and weight loss: 10 years of Kim Jong-un image politics

Three generations of the Kim family have ruled North Korea with absolute authority since 1948, and analysts say the regime has used carefully crafted images to ensure their power. Outsiders regard Kim as a ruthless tyrant with an undying obsession about developing the country’s nuclear weapons, even at the cost of starving the population. But North Korea’s tightly-controlled state media shows

The pandemic forced Kim Jong Un into retreat. The world should brace for his resurgence

Ten years ago, the world watched as a young Kim Jong Un solemnly walked beside his father's hearse on a snowy morning in Pyongyang as distraught North Koreans wailed in grief. Kim's long black coat and hairstyle, reminiscent of his late grandfather Kim Il Sung, were viewed as a superficial effort to emulate the authority of his forebears.But the 20-something heir to the North Korean leadership

Kim Jong-un: N Korean defectors reflect on last decade

It's 10 years since an untested 27-year-old took power in North Korea and in that time few world leaders have generated as many headlines. But what has it been like living under Kim Jong-un? The sound of wailing filled the streets of Pyongyang. Students in their school uniforms fell to their knees and appeared inconsolable. Women were pictured clutching their hearts in despair.The tightly

US Congress passes import ban on Chinese Uyghur region

The US Congress has passed a bill that requires companies to prove that goods imported from China's Xinjiang region were not produced with forced labour. The US has accused China of genocide in its repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority there - a charge that China has repeatedly rejected. The bill had been criticised by major companies that do business in the area, including

Beijing criticises UK for creating ‘second-class citizens’ with Hong Kong visa scheme

Beijing has claimed the UK wants to make Hong Kongers “second-class citizens” with its British national (overseas) (BNO) visa scheme, after new figures showed almost 90,000 people have applied from the former British colony to resettle in the UK. “[I]n flagrant violation of its international commitment, the UK tries to turn many Hong Kong residents into ‘second-class citizens’ in the UK and reap

Microsoft warns China, Iran, North Korea and Turkey are exploiting recently revealed software vulnerability

Hackers linked with the governments of China, Iran, North Korea and Turkey have moved to exploit a critical flaw in software used by big tech firms around the world, Microsoft warned late Tuesday. The activity from the foreign hacking groups includes experimentation with the vulnerability, integration into existing hacking tools and "exploitation against targets to achieve the actor's objectives,

The Communist Party thinks China's prolific censors are not censoring enough

Weibo, China's answer to Twitter, has long been a prime target for stringent online censorship thanks to its broad audience base and ability to help influence public opinion. But in the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party, it is not censoring enough — and needs to pay a price, literally. On Tuesday, Weibo was fined $470,000 for repeatedly disseminating "illegal information" in violation of the

Joe Biden to Sign Bill Punishing China for Uyghur Forced Labor in Xinjiang

President Joe Biden will sign a new law banning products made with Uyghurforced labor in China, the White House has confirmed, in a blow to corporate interests that have lobbied against stricter import standards. The bipartisan and bicameral Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act passed the Houseby unanimous voice vote late on Tuesday. Introduced to the lower chamber by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), it

Putin, Xi Agree NATO Should Not Expand East, Plan to Meet During 2022 Beijing Olympics

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed support for Russia's plan to push back against NATO's potential eastward expansion. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed these moves and made arrangements to meet in person during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games on a video conference. According to Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, the two presidents also discussed "mounting threats to