Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 83

Why Trump Will Blink First on China

U.S. President Donald Trump will probably blink first. The first sign of that came Tuesday when he said that 145% tariffs on China will “come down substantially” and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicted “de-escalation” in the de facto trade embargo between the world’s two largest economies.Both sides would certainly benefit from finding agreement. The trade war has vaporizedtrillions of

In China, a Sharp Divide Between Journalism and the Ivory Tower

Late last year, an unusual dispute broke out between a major Chinese magazine and a prominent scholar over the authorship of an influential 2020 investigative report that detailed the harsh realities faced by the country’s food delivery drivers. In a statement, People magazine accused the scholar, Sun Ping, whose research had been cited in the report, of misrepresenting herself as its “original

Small City, Big Spenders: The Rise of China’s New Consumer Class

China has around 700 cities, unofficially classified into multiple “tiers,” arranged in a pyramid structure based on their population and economic size. A few megacities, like 25 million-strong Shanghai, sit in the first tier, while most provincial capitals are classed as second-tier. Li’s home city of Yongkang is often placed in the fourth tier along with hundreds of others.Nationwide consumer

Hong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party is shutting down as Beijing leaves no room for dissent

Hong Kong’s oldest and largest pro-democracy political party is moving to disband as Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on the city leaves even moderate opposition groups with no room to operate. The Democratic Party, one of the leading voices of opposition in the semi-autonomous city for the past three decades, has started the process of dissolution following recent warnings from Chinese government

China has halted rare earth exports, can Australia step up?

Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to invest A$1.2bn (£580m) in a strategic reserve for critical minerals if he wins next month's election, as trade tensions escalate. The announcement came after China imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements, essential to the production of advanced technologies - including electric vehicles, fighter jets, and robots.China's

Can India really stop river water from flowing into Pakistan?

Will India be able to stop the Indus river and two of its tributaries from flowing into Pakistan? That's the question on many minds, after India suspended a major treaty governing water sharing of six rivers in the Indus basin between the two countries, following Tuesday's horrific attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) survived two wars between the nuclear

Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists

Pakistan has responded with tit-for-tat measures against India as tensions soared following a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. Islamabad suspended all visas issued to Indian nationals under an exemption scheme with immediate effect, as well as expelling some of its neighbour's diplomats and closing its airspace to Indian flights.Indian police have named

Deadly Kashmir attack risks India military escalation against Pakistan

Tuesday's bloodshed in Pahalgam - where at least 26 tourists were killed in a hail of gunfire - marks the deadliest militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2019. The victims weren't soldiers or officials, but civilians on holiday in one of India's most picturesque valleys. That alone makes this strike both brutal and symbolic: a calculated assault not just on lives, but on a fragile

Behind China’s Growth Numbers, a Nation Still Saving

When Li Rui was earning 30,000 yuan ($4,000) a month from part-time jobs, he burned through most of it on gadgets, takeout, and nights out. Now, as a full-time Ph.D. student in Beijing living on just 5,000 yuan in bursaries and scholarships, he saves more than ever. “I’m saving more than 60% of my income now,” says the 27-year-old. “Before, it was only about 20%, if that.”China’s economy is

Pope’s death receives muted official response in China, which has a tense relationship with the Vatican

As the world rushed to pay tribute to Pope Francis following his death, the response has been comparatively muted in China – an officially atheist state with millions of Catholics whose government has had a difficult and complex relationship with the Vatican.In the passing of Pope Francis, Beijing loses a well-respected global leader who had pushed the Vatican closer to China’s Communist Party