Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 55

How a leaked phone call between a former strongman and a young leader could topple a government

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing increasing pressure to step down, after appearing to criticize the military in a 17-minute leaked phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader over an escalating border dispute. The scandal, which sparked widespread anger in the country, brings fresh uncertainty to a country roiled by years of political turbulence and

China evacuates over 1,600 from Iran, hundreds from Israel amid conflict: spokesperson

China has evacuated over 1,600 citizens from Iran and several hundred more from Israel amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday, CGTN reports.Speaking at a press briefing, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China has coordinated closely with its embassies and consulates in Iran, Israel, and neighboring countries to ensure the safe

China Goes on Diplomatic Offensive as Israel-Iran War Distracts America

As Israel and Iran exchanged missile fire on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Central Asian countries to deepen cooperation under China's "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative. This marks the latest step in what analysts call Beijing's diplomatic offensive and was highlighted in a recent podcast by the China-Global South Project (CGSP).China's global influence continues to

China Backs Iran in Fight Against Israel

China has taken a stance on the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart in a phone call that Israel’s strikes against Iran were “unacceptable” and a “violation of international law.”Wang offered support to his Iranian counterpart in “safeguarding [Iran’s] national sovereignty, defending its legitimate rights and interests, and ensuring the

Israel-Iran war undermines Beijing’s Mideast diplomatic push

Beijing’s muted response to the outbreak of war on June 12 between Israel and Iran speaks volumes about the awkward diplomatic position it finds itself in.  Chinese President Xi Jinping waited four days before expressing his views, calling on both sides on Tuesday “to de-escalate the conflict as soon as possible” while offering to “play a constructive role” on the diplomatic front without

Polls show global attitudes towards China improve, at expense of U.S.

Numerous public opinion surveys from around the world have highlighted a significant shift in global attitudes towards China. Respondents from countries in both the Global South and Global North have expressed increasingly favorable views towards China and less favorable views towards the U.S. As the surveys and other analyses suggest, this shift is in part due to perceptions of U.S. instability

The outlook for Korean diplomacy under Lee Jae-myung

With Lee Jae-myung elected as the new South Korean president, he has a host of domestic and international issues to deal with, including how to handle key neighbours like China. Japanese academic Tadashi Kimiya analyses what needs to be done, particularly in terms of diplomacy.Read more

Ashley J. Tellis: India’s Great-Power Delusions

Since the turn of the century, the United States has sought to help India rise as a great power. During George W. Bush’s presidency, Washington agreed to a major deal with New Delhi that offered support for India’s civilian nuclear program despite the country’s controversial development of nuclear weapons. Under the Obama administration, the United States and India began defense industrial

"Teacher Li": Catching Up with China's Most Effective Dissident

It’s Li’s first ever visit to Taiwan. He is here for a human rights conference in the island state off the coast of China. It has been several years since he has been so close to his homeland, with his last visit to China coming in 2019, back when he was studying art in Italy and posting short stories on the internet. Had he left it at that, he would have the option of boarding a plane tomorrow

FBI Raises 'Alarming' Claims of Chinese Interference in 2020 Election

FBI Director Kash Patel has declassified and shared documents with senators that he says "detail alarming allegations" about potential Chinese interference in the 2020 election. China has denied any nefarious involvement in swaying the election results in 2020, and again in 2024. Trump allies have alleged that China rigged the 2020 results in Joe Biden's favor, invigorating hardcore