Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 74

Asia, Unfettered: RFA’s most compelling recent stories

For nearly three decades, Radio Free Asia has provided reliable, uncensored and unbiased news to people in Asia.  Our pioneering journalism and unparalleled access to on-the-ground sources in highly restricted media environments — like China, North Korea and Myanmar — have enabled us to confront new challenges with resilience and determination. Amid growing threats to global press freedom,

Satellite Photo Shows US Aircraft Carrier at China's Doorstep

Latest satellite imagery shows that the United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitzcontinues to operate in the South China Sea, where China's sovereignty claims cover most of the waters. Regarding the Nimitz's deployment in the South China Sea, the U.S. Seventh Fleet—which maintains U.S. naval presence in the Western Pacific Ocean—previously told Newsweek that the nuclear-powered ship "provides

Trump Backs Massive Middle East AI Hub to Counter China

President Donald Trump has signed off on a major agreement with the United Arab Emirates to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States. The deal lifts earlier restrictions that had blocked the Gulf nation's access to advanced U.S. chips over concerns they could be diverted to China.Finalized during Trump's visit to the Middle East, the agreement represents a

US General Details China Military Plans to Defeat US in Taiwan War

A former top U.S. defense official has warned lawmakers that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is "no longer distant" amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Charles Flynn, retired general and former commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, also laid out the steps the People's Liberation Army would need to accomplish such a feat.China has vowed to unify with Taiwan, which it considers its territory,

China Makes Overtures to Allies in America's Backyard

Chinese President Xi Jinping made overtures to Latin American and Caribbean countries this week in a bid to make inroads in the region. Launched under Xi, the China–LAC Community is Beijing's vehicle for expanding trade, infrastructure, and political ties with Latin America and the Caribbean, extending China's reach into a region long seen as part of the United States' sphere of influence.On

Buddhist nations urged to speak up ahead of China’s 30-year Panchen Lama abduction, disappearance

Human Rights Watch has on May 15 reiterated its call on China to release the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his parents, ahead of the completion of 30 years since it abducted them on May 17, 1995. The New York-based international rights group said the issue had become all the more urgent as the Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday on Jul 6, 2025 and the two top spiritual leaders of

China’s Visit And Economic Playbook In Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia: Solidifying Leverage And Belt And Road Initiative With Strategic Allies – Analysis

The U.S. had imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports last April, prompting China to seek stronger regional alliances. Amid interruptions brought on by U.S. tariffs, China’s President Xi Jinping urged for closer trade and supply chain connections with Vietnam on last week while attending the signing of dozens of cooperation agreements between the two communist-run countries in Hanoi, Vietnam last

Mass protest by parents prompts reversal of private school closure in China

A mass protest by parents this week against the planned closure of a private school in northern China prompted a rare reversal by authorities, officials and parents said. Video posted on social media showed hundreds of parents outside the Nangong municipal government building in Hebei province on Sunday, demanding Fengyi Elementary School stay open after learning it was set to close its doors.The

Relief on China's factory floors as US tariffs put on hold

There's a vast empty space in the middle of the factory floor in Foshan in southern China where workers should be welding high-end air fryers for the US market.Derek Wang says his American customers were wowed by his air fryer models - which are controlled via smartphones and can also bake, roast and grill. But then on 2 April, Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs hit all Chinese goods

How India and Pakistan share one of the world's most dangerous borders

To live along the Line of Control (LoC) - the volatile de facto border that separates India and Pakistan - is to exist perpetually on the razor's edge between fragile peace and open conflict. The recent escalation after the Pahalgam attack brought India and Pakistan to the brink once again. Shells rained down on both sides of the LoC, turning homes to rubble and lives into statistics. At least 16