Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 41

THAILAND AND CAMBODIA: THE BATTLE FOR PREAH VIHEAR

Historical memory plays a profound role in shaping national identities and international relations. Leaders often invoke visions of a shared past to unify diverse populations under a common flag or to rally diverse countries toward a common regional purpose. However, historical memories can also be explosively divisive. This article briefly examines one such case: the case of Preah Vihear, an

US-China trade talks: Can China reduce its export dependence?

China’s high dependence on exports will likely be a key focus of a new round of U.S.-China trade talks this coming week in Stockholm, but a trade deal would not necessarily help Beijing to rebalance its economy. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said he hopes the negotiations can take up this issue, along with China’s purchases of oil from Russia and Iran, which undercut American

China is suppressing coverage of deadly attacks. Some people are complaining online

A four-sentence police statement said a 35-year-old male driver hit pedestrians due to “improper operation” of the car. It didn’t mention the school or that the victims included children. Photos of the aftermath, which showed a half-dozen people lying in the street, were scrubbed from China’s closely controlled internet.“We need the truth,” said one post on Weibo, a leading social media platform

An emboldened China eyes more concessions from US at Stockholm trade talks

For the third time in as many months, US and Chinese officials will meet in Europe for trade talks — and this time, Beijing is arriving at the negotiating table more emboldened than ever. Its firm grip on strategic minerals has compelled the Trump administration to roll back some export curbs on China, including a stunning reversal of the ban on sales of a key Nvidia AI chip.Meanwhile, the

'Pro-China' politicians survive Taiwan vote to kick them out

Early results of an unprecedented vote in Taiwan aimed at ousting politicians accused of being too close to China indicate that all have retained their seats. Thousands of Taiwanese went to the polls on Saturday in what has been termed as the "dabamian", or Great Recall vote, initiated by a civic movement.The vote result was closely watched as it could have altered the balance of power in

China's Xi Makes Trump Wait for Leader Talks

The White House has been optimistic about the prospects for an in-person summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping—the first of President Donald Trump's second term. Yet analysts say the Chinese leader is likely holding out for concrete deliverables before agreeing to the high-profile meeting. Trump dramatically escalated the trade war with the world's second-largest economy in April,

Trump Says Thailand, Cambodia Support Ceasefire Push

In a Truth Social post on Saturday, President Donald Trump wrote that the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia want to end the ongoing conflict between their countries. Trump says he spoke to the acting prime minister of Thailand and the prime minister of Cambodia about an "immediate ceasefire."The call for ceasefire comes as Cambodia and Thailand entered a third day of fighting, sparked by an

Thailand and Cambodia thank Trump for mediation, but shelling continues

Donald Trump said on Saturday that he had called the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand, pressing them for an immediate ceasefire following border clashes. At the beginning of a private visit to his Scottish golf courses, the US president wrote on Truth Social that both nations "have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!"Both countries thanked him

Russia Drones Equipped With Chinese Technology Raise Eyebrows

A drone model intended for Russia's war effort includes components from a Chinese firm, which had previously said it would not provide equipment in the war in Ukraine, it has been reported. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) agency said it had revealed a new drone that Moscow would use, which is similar to the Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone, although much smaller. It said that

Ukraine war latest: China covertly supplying drone engines to Russia despite sanctions, Reuters reports

Beijing is reportedly circumventing Western sanctions by discreetly shipping Chinese-made drone engines to a state-owned Russian manufacturer, labeling them as "industrial refrigeration units" to avoid detection. This alleged practice has enabled Russia to significantly ramp up its production of Garpiya-A1 attack drones, according to three European security officials and documents reviewed