Siden det er søndag, passer det å avlegge et besøk i Kinas vakreste bygning. For hvilken annen kinesisk bygning kan måle seg med Himmelens tempel i Beijing? «Et arkitektonisk mesterverk», lød dommen da UNESCO førte det opp på sin verdensarvliste.
Forunderlig nok skjedde det ikke før i 1998. Da hadde tempelet stått der i mer enn fem hundre år.
Himmelens tempel ligger i den sørlige delen av det sentrale Beijing, vel fire kilometer sør for Den forbudte by. Hele området med sitt grøntanlegg dekker nesten 2,7 kvadratkilometer og er dermed større enn Den forbudte by. I det nye årtusen er det omgitt av brede avenyer og moderne byliv, men innenfor murene finner vi en påfallende ro.
søndag 1. mars 2026
lørdag 28. februar 2026
Vanishing Elites: Disappearances and Purges in Xi Jinping’s China
Since assuming leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2012, Xi Jinping has overseen the most sweeping anti-corruption campaign in modern Chinese history. Officially framed as a drive to eliminate graft and restore Party discipline, the campaign has reached deep into the upper echelons of political, military, financial, technological, and cultural life.
But beyond court verdicts and expulsion notices lies a recurring pattern: sudden disappearances.
Senior ministers vanish from diplomatic calendars. Generals stop appearing at military ceremonies. Billionaire executives become “unreachable.” Celebrities are erased from streaming platforms. In most cases, official Chinese media later confirm investigations for “serious violations of discipline and law,” without detailed evidence. In others, there is no formal explanation at all.
But beyond court verdicts and expulsion notices lies a recurring pattern: sudden disappearances.
Senior ministers vanish from diplomatic calendars. Generals stop appearing at military ceremonies. Billionaire executives become “unreachable.” Celebrities are erased from streaming platforms. In most cases, official Chinese media later confirm investigations for “serious violations of discipline and law,” without detailed evidence. In others, there is no formal explanation at all.
China’s Growth and destruction of the Environment
China’s transformation into the world’s second-largest economy over the past four decades is one of the most rapid industrializations in history. It has also produced environmental damage of corresponding magnitude and duration. At its peak between 2005 and 2015, air pollution in northern China regularly exceeded levels considered immediately dangerous to human health; independent studies estimate it caused between 1.6 and 2.2 million premature deaths annually. More than 60 % of monitored groundwater and roughly one-fifth of the country’s arable land have been classified as polluted, in many cases heavily, with cadmium, arsenic and other toxins entering the food chain.
For much of this period, official data were suppressed or manipulated, independent monitoring was obstructed, and environmental activists faced detention.
For much of this period, official data were suppressed or manipulated, independent monitoring was obstructed, and environmental activists faced detention.
Germany bets on industrial AI to rival US and China
Germany launched a major artificial intelligence (AI) project this month to cut its reliance on US providers of high-performance computing and data processing — a move seen as helping Europe to control its own AI future.
The Industrial AI Cloud, backed by Deutsche Telekom, was built in record time, taking just six months to plan, build and launch, compared with the typical 12 to 24 months.
The telecom firm repurposed and modernized an existing facility in Munich's Tucherpark, with nearly 10,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — the high-end chips currently in global short supply. Telekom says the computing power is sufficient for all 450 million EU citizens using an AI assistant simultaneously.
However, the Industrial AI Cloud isn't aimed at individual consumers. Instead, it targets Germany's industrial heavyweights, including automakers, machinery manufacturers and robotics companies. It could also be a critical tool for research institutions, the public sector and firms developing AI applications.
The Industrial AI Cloud, backed by Deutsche Telekom, was built in record time, taking just six months to plan, build and launch, compared with the typical 12 to 24 months.
The telecom firm repurposed and modernized an existing facility in Munich's Tucherpark, with nearly 10,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — the high-end chips currently in global short supply. Telekom says the computing power is sufficient for all 450 million EU citizens using an AI assistant simultaneously.
However, the Industrial AI Cloud isn't aimed at individual consumers. Instead, it targets Germany's industrial heavyweights, including automakers, machinery manufacturers and robotics companies. It could also be a critical tool for research institutions, the public sector and firms developing AI applications.
19 deputies of China’s legislature, including 9 military officers, removed before annual meeting
China’s legislature has dismissed 19 members, including nine who are military officers, one week ahead of the start of its annual meeting.The late Thursday announcement did not say why the deputies had been removed, but such removals are generally tied to corruption investigations.
An anti-corruption campaign launched by Chinese leader Xi Jinping shows no sign of letting up after more than a decade. The military has been targeted in recent years, including the removal of its top general last month, as Xi seeks to reform and modernize the armed forces. Analysts say the campaign is also a way for Xi, who is in his 14th year in power, to remove potential rivals and ensure loyalty among his subordinates.
An anti-corruption campaign launched by Chinese leader Xi Jinping shows no sign of letting up after more than a decade. The military has been targeted in recent years, including the removal of its top general last month, as Xi seeks to reform and modernize the armed forces. Analysts say the campaign is also a way for Xi, who is in his 14th year in power, to remove potential rivals and ensure loyalty among his subordinates.
China Purges Nine Military Officials Ahead of Key Meeting for Xi
Nine senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army were stripped of membership in China's top legislature, as President Xi Jinping continues his purge of the military establishment.
The move comes less than a week before the “Two Sessions,” the Chinese Communist Party’s most important annual political gathering, begin in Beijing. The timing may signal an effort by Xi to consolidate control ahead of a year expected to focus heavily on economic management and internal stability.
The move comes less than a week before the “Two Sessions,” the Chinese Communist Party’s most important annual political gathering, begin in Beijing. The timing may signal an effort by Xi to consolidate control ahead of a year expected to focus heavily on economic management and internal stability.
Since taking office in 2013, Xi has overseen a sweeping anti-corruption campaign targeting thousands of senior and junior officials, whom he has described as “tigers and flies.” Since 2022, 101 generals and lieutenant generals have either been formally removed or disappeared from public view, per a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ China Power Project.
Kim Jong Un vows to strengthen nuclear program, watches military parade with daughter
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised to strengthen his country’s nuclear weapons program on Wednesday, before presiding over a nighttime military parade, accompanied by his daughter. About 14,000 troops marched through Kim Il Sung Square in the capital of Pyongyang, state media said. Columns of soldiers were seen goose-stepping under floodlights with fighter jets roaring overhead.
Kim’s teenage daughter, widely believed to be named Ju Ae, again appeared prominently at the parade beside her father. But despite speculation in South Korea about her potential grooming as a successor, no new official titles were announced as the once-in-five-years ruling party congress wrapped.
Kim’s teenage daughter, widely believed to be named Ju Ae, again appeared prominently at the parade beside her father. But despite speculation in South Korea about her potential grooming as a successor, no new official titles were announced as the once-in-five-years ruling party congress wrapped.
With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor
North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the latest propaganda images to promote the child touted as a potential successor. State media KCNA said Kim and his daughter – along with Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister Kim Yo Jong and other officials – fired the rifles after the North Korean leader gifted them to military leaders to salute their service to the reclusive state’s ruling party.
One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.
One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.
fredag 27. februar 2026
China’s Erasure of Ethnic Minority Languages
How is the Chinese government marking international mother language day on February 21? By legalizing the erasure of mother languages.
In December 2025, according to the NPC Observer, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee signed off on revisions to the Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language, originally adopted in 2000. The revisions remove a provision that allowed speakers of “minority languages” to use those as the medium of instruction in schools, stating simply that such education is “no longer necessary.”
A years-long trend of replacing Mongolian-, Tibetan-, and Uyghur-medium instruction with Mandarin Chinese-medium instruction is now codified in law. Students in these communities will now only be taught their mother tongue as a single, standalone class; all other classes will be taught in Chinese.
In December 2025, according to the NPC Observer, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee signed off on revisions to the Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language, originally adopted in 2000. The revisions remove a provision that allowed speakers of “minority languages” to use those as the medium of instruction in schools, stating simply that such education is “no longer necessary.”
A years-long trend of replacing Mongolian-, Tibetan-, and Uyghur-medium instruction with Mandarin Chinese-medium instruction is now codified in law. Students in these communities will now only be taught their mother tongue as a single, standalone class; all other classes will be taught in Chinese.
Why Did Donald Trump Leave China Out of His State of the Union Address?
Despite being the longest State of the Union address in modern U.S. history, President Donald Trump’s 2026 speech marked the first time in two decades that an American president did not directly mention China in the annual address to Congress.
Many observers have attributed the omission to timing: Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in April. But a closer look suggests that Trump’s careful approach to China reflects two important domestic factors: an internal Republican battle over tariffs – intensified by a recent Supreme Court ruling against his tariff authority – and the looming midterm elections later this year.
Trump’s upcoming trip to Beijing will be the first by a sitting American president since his own visit in 2017. He has repeatedly touted his “excellent relationship” with Xi. Earlier this month, Trump described a phone call between the two leaders as “very positive” and their relationship as “extremely good.”
Many observers have attributed the omission to timing: Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in April. But a closer look suggests that Trump’s careful approach to China reflects two important domestic factors: an internal Republican battle over tariffs – intensified by a recent Supreme Court ruling against his tariff authority – and the looming midterm elections later this year.
Trump’s upcoming trip to Beijing will be the first by a sitting American president since his own visit in 2017. He has repeatedly touted his “excellent relationship” with Xi. Earlier this month, Trump described a phone call between the two leaders as “very positive” and their relationship as “extremely good.”
China’s First Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier Will Challenge US Sea Power
New satellite imagery obtained by Newsweek shows work advancing on China’s fourth aircraft carrier, with defense analysts increasingly convinced the vessel will be nuclear-powered — a step that would give it far greater range, endurance and sustained speed than its conventionally powered predecessors.
China already possesses the world’s largest navy by hull count and is launching major warships at roughly three times the rate of the United States. A nuclear carrier would mark a major milestone in President Xi Jinping’s drive to build a “world-class military” by mid-century, and would place China in a club occupied by only two other nations: the U.S., which operates 11 nuclear carriers, and France with its Charles de Gaulle.
China already possesses the world’s largest navy by hull count and is launching major warships at roughly three times the rate of the United States. A nuclear carrier would mark a major milestone in President Xi Jinping’s drive to build a “world-class military” by mid-century, and would place China in a club occupied by only two other nations: the U.S., which operates 11 nuclear carriers, and France with its Charles de Gaulle.
Google Shuts Down ‘Prolific’ Hacking Group Linked to China
Google and its cybersecurity partners have disrupted a cyber espionage group with suspected ties to the Chinese state, the company said Wednesday.
It was one of several such operations involving enforcement actions against Chinese cyberoperations this week, including misuse of AI to train domestic large language models (LLM) and carry out pro-Beijing influence operations.The disclosure follows a string of Chinese-linked hacking campaigns in recent years, some believed to have state backing, that have targeted government officials, think tanks and Chinese dissidents overseas.
Other groups have sought access to U.S. critical infrastructure. American intelligence officials have warned that such access, if established, could be weaponized in the event of a conflict with Beijing.
It was one of several such operations involving enforcement actions against Chinese cyberoperations this week, including misuse of AI to train domestic large language models (LLM) and carry out pro-Beijing influence operations.The disclosure follows a string of Chinese-linked hacking campaigns in recent years, some believed to have state backing, that have targeted government officials, think tanks and Chinese dissidents overseas.
Other groups have sought access to U.S. critical infrastructure. American intelligence officials have warned that such access, if established, could be weaponized in the event of a conflict with Beijing.
Trump will head to Beijing weakened — and Xi knows it
The ideological centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s second-term trade doctrine has been struck down by the Supreme Court — a legal setback that has dramatically shifted the balance of power in the US-China rivalry just weeks before their two leaders are scheduled to meet in Beijing.
Within hours of the ruling, the Trump administration pivoted, activating Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a temporary 15% tariff on top of existing ones, citing balance-of-payments concerns. The maneuver is legally narrower and time-bound. Trump’s trade war is not over — its legal battlefield has merely shifted.
For China, the ruling delivers an unexpected reprieve, easing pressure on Chinese exporters and recalibrating the leverage dynamics ahead of Trump’s planned April visit. Chinese celebration, however, would be premature.
Within hours of the ruling, the Trump administration pivoted, activating Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a temporary 15% tariff on top of existing ones, citing balance-of-payments concerns. The maneuver is legally narrower and time-bound. Trump’s trade war is not over — its legal battlefield has merely shifted.
For China, the ruling delivers an unexpected reprieve, easing pressure on Chinese exporters and recalibrating the leverage dynamics ahead of Trump’s planned April visit. Chinese celebration, however, would be premature.
Why India’s diaspora isn’t coming home
A few weeks ago, a post on X stopped thousands of Indians mid-scroll. A user recounted a conversation with a friend settled in Canada — educated, successful, with half a million dollars saved — who said, quietly but clearly: “I’m not coming back.”
Not because he doesn’t love India. But because, after years abroad, he has simply stopped wanting to fight for things that should just work.The thread exploded. Doctors in Toronto. Engineers in Amsterdam. Nurses in Auckland. Their geographies differed. The emotional core did not: India is exhausting in ways that have nothing to do with poverty, and everything to do with choices made by those in power.
Officially, India loses over 200,000 citizens to emigration every year. Between 2011 and 2023, more than 1.6 million Indians surrendered their passports. In 2024 alone, over 200,000 renounced citizenship. India’s diaspora — 35.4 million strong — is the world’s largest.
Not because he doesn’t love India. But because, after years abroad, he has simply stopped wanting to fight for things that should just work.The thread exploded. Doctors in Toronto. Engineers in Amsterdam. Nurses in Auckland. Their geographies differed. The emotional core did not: India is exhausting in ways that have nothing to do with poverty, and everything to do with choices made by those in power.
Officially, India loses over 200,000 citizens to emigration every year. Between 2011 and 2023, more than 1.6 million Indians surrendered their passports. In 2024 alone, over 200,000 renounced citizenship. India’s diaspora — 35.4 million strong — is the world’s largest.
China’s fishing fleets are Beijing’s secret naval weapon
China is rapidly expanding its reach across the Indo-Pacific, deploying a shadow fleet of nominally civilian fishing vessels as a covert extension of the world’s largest naval force.
By weaponizing hundreds of thousands of fishing boats alongside the Chinese Navy (PLAN) and Coast Guard (CCG), Beijing has developed a gray zone militia strategy that threatens to blockade American and allied naval forces should a Taiwan contingency or conflict in the South China Sea erupt.
Both the PLAN and CCG have conducted gray zone operations around disputed islands and territorial waters claimed by Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines — with the fishing militia serving as the cutting edge of a hybrid warfare doctrine designed to encroach on neighboring territory while evading direct military confrontation.
By weaponizing hundreds of thousands of fishing boats alongside the Chinese Navy (PLAN) and Coast Guard (CCG), Beijing has developed a gray zone militia strategy that threatens to blockade American and allied naval forces should a Taiwan contingency or conflict in the South China Sea erupt.
Both the PLAN and CCG have conducted gray zone operations around disputed islands and territorial waters claimed by Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines — with the fishing militia serving as the cutting edge of a hybrid warfare doctrine designed to encroach on neighboring territory while evading direct military confrontation.
torsdag 26. februar 2026
Torbjørn Færøvik: China's Dark Factories - Can Robots Save a Shrinking Nation?
Imagine a factory hall that is almost dark, yet production is running at full speed. In China, an increasing number of “dark factories” are being built where advanced robots work around the clock. These robots never go to the bathroom, and no one has ever heard them complain.
In industrial cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, a nearly imperceptible revolution is under way. Workers are being replaced by robots that weld, assemble, lift and transport goods without interruption. At the electronics manufacturer Foxconn, nearly 200,000 workers have been replaced by robots in just a few years. At one factory alone, the workforce has been reduced from 110,000 to 50,000 since 2016.
“You notice the silence as the door slides shut behind you,” I read in a Chinese magazine. “Not an empty silence, but a dense, electric calm filled with humming, brief bursts of compressed air and the dry click of relays switching on and off. The light is dim, almost like twilight, because no one inside needs illumination.”
In industrial cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, a nearly imperceptible revolution is under way. Workers are being replaced by robots that weld, assemble, lift and transport goods without interruption. At the electronics manufacturer Foxconn, nearly 200,000 workers have been replaced by robots in just a few years. At one factory alone, the workforce has been reduced from 110,000 to 50,000 since 2016.
“You notice the silence as the door slides shut behind you,” I read in a Chinese magazine. “Not an empty silence, but a dense, electric calm filled with humming, brief bursts of compressed air and the dry click of relays switching on and off. The light is dim, almost like twilight, because no one inside needs illumination.”
The Complicated Stakes of the AI Race Between the U.S. and China
Trade tensions between the United States and China have eased for now, but the technology race is accelerating. While Washington and Beijing have relaxed export controls on semiconductors and rare earths, both have announced new AI models, new applications, and new deals.
This week, world leaders are meeting in New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit. And technology competition is, unsurprisingly, high on the list of discussion topics. Ever since last year’s “DeepSeek moment,” policymakers and executives have continued to debate: Will the U.S. or China win the AI race?
But that question may simplify more than it clarifies. What does AI leadership mean? What are we racing toward? What are the tradeoffs? Where are global supply chains too connected to derisk? And where can countries other than the U.S. and China compete?
This week, world leaders are meeting in New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit. And technology competition is, unsurprisingly, high on the list of discussion topics. Ever since last year’s “DeepSeek moment,” policymakers and executives have continued to debate: Will the U.S. or China win the AI race?
But that question may simplify more than it clarifies. What does AI leadership mean? What are we racing toward? What are the tradeoffs? Where are global supply chains too connected to derisk? And where can countries other than the U.S. and China compete?
Without understanding the nuance of these questions, leaders risk advancing short-sighted solutions to today’s most pressing technology problems and may be pursuing flawed strategies in the long game of geopolitics.
Despite differences, China’s Xi and Germany’s Merz seek to deepen ties in turbulent times
There are many things that China and Germany do not see eye-to-eye on — notably Russia’s war in Ukraine — but the leaders of the world’s second and third largest economies nonetheless pledged Wednesday to work to deepen ties in an era of global turbulence.
Both countries have been buffeted by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, who lauded his import tariffs in a State of the Union address delivered just hours before German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met separately with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing.
“The more turbulent and complex the world becomes, the more China and Germany should strengthen strategic communication and enhance strategic mutual trust,” Xi said at the government’s Diaoyutai state guesthouse, a leafy and sprawling property dotted with grand buildings.
Both countries have been buffeted by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, who lauded his import tariffs in a State of the Union address delivered just hours before German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met separately with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing.
“The more turbulent and complex the world becomes, the more China and Germany should strengthen strategic communication and enhance strategic mutual trust,” Xi said at the government’s Diaoyutai state guesthouse, a leafy and sprawling property dotted with grand buildings.
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