On the border between Thailand and Cambodia lies a temple almost beyond imagination. It has withstood lightning and thunder for a thousand years, and in recent months it has also survived machine-gun fire and artillery shells.
Donald Trump, the “born genius,” tells us that he has, in record time, halted eight bloody wars. One of them is the bitter border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. With Trump as a proud witness, the two countries’ prime ministers signed a ceasefire in October. But now they are shooting at each other again.
Over the past five days, fighting has taken place in several locations along the 800-kilometer border — including near the unique Preah Vihear temple.
“It is impossible to approach Preah Vihear without feeling that one is entering a landscape created for rituals,” wrote the French archaeologist Bernard-Philippe Groslier in the 1960s. Groslier was a man of refined sensibilities who spent much of his life in Cambodia and wrote several books about his work.
torsdag 11. desember 2025
onsdag 10. desember 2025
Torbjørn Færøvik: Preah Vihear - et himmelsk tempel i krigens grenseland
På grensen mellom Thailand og Kambodsja ligger et tempel nesten hinsides fantasien. Det har tålt lyn og torden i tusen år, og de siste månedene har det også overlevd mitraljøser og kanonild.
Donald Trump, det «fødte geni», forteller oss at han på rekordtid har stanset åtte blodige kriger. En av dem er den bitre grensestriden mellom Thailand og Kambodsja. Med Trump som stolt vitne signerte de to landenes statsministre en våpenhvile i oktober. Men nå skyter de igjen på hverandre.
Kampene de siste fem dagene har pågått flere steder langs den 800 kilometer lange grensen. Også nær det unike Preah Vihear-tempelet.
«Det er ikke mulig å nærme seg Preah Vihear uten å føle at man går inn i et landskap skapt for ritualer», skrev den franske arkeologen Bernard-Philippe Groslier på 1960-tallet. Groslier var en skjønnånd som tilbrakte store deler av livet i Kambodsja og skrev flere bøker om sitt arbeid.
Tempelet klamrer seg til en 550 meter høy klippe med vid utsikt i alle retninger – og kort vei til himmelen. Den første sandsteinen ble lagt på 900-tallet, den siste fire hundre år senere. Dette var også khmerrikets storhetstid. Riket omfattet ikke bare dagens Kambodsja, men også deler av Thailand, Laos og Vietnam.
Donald Trump, det «fødte geni», forteller oss at han på rekordtid har stanset åtte blodige kriger. En av dem er den bitre grensestriden mellom Thailand og Kambodsja. Med Trump som stolt vitne signerte de to landenes statsministre en våpenhvile i oktober. Men nå skyter de igjen på hverandre.
Kampene de siste fem dagene har pågått flere steder langs den 800 kilometer lange grensen. Også nær det unike Preah Vihear-tempelet.
«Det er ikke mulig å nærme seg Preah Vihear uten å føle at man går inn i et landskap skapt for ritualer», skrev den franske arkeologen Bernard-Philippe Groslier på 1960-tallet. Groslier var en skjønnånd som tilbrakte store deler av livet i Kambodsja og skrev flere bøker om sitt arbeid.
Tempelet klamrer seg til en 550 meter høy klippe med vid utsikt i alle retninger – og kort vei til himmelen. Den første sandsteinen ble lagt på 900-tallet, den siste fire hundre år senere. Dette var også khmerrikets storhetstid. Riket omfattet ikke bare dagens Kambodsja, men også deler av Thailand, Laos og Vietnam.
China is watching Trump’s Venezuela campaign closely
Donald Trump’s campaign against Venezuela escalated recently with the US president announcing that the country’s airspace should be considered “closed.” This is a move that has preceded US military interventions in the past, perhaps most notably in Iraq in 2003.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s declaration will be followed by military action or is just a means of raising the pressure on the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, in an attempt to force him from office. But regardless of what happens next, what has been notable is the reaction of China.In a December 3 briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that closing Venezuelan airspace would violate international norms and infringe on national sovereignty. Jian added that China rejects interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs “under any pretext” and called on all parties to keep Latin America a “zone of peace.”
This stance is no great surprise. China has developed strong relationships with several Latin American countries, including Venezuela, as part of a broader strategy to expand its presence in regions the US has long dominated. Trump’s threats of military action could jeopardize the influence China has built there.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s declaration will be followed by military action or is just a means of raising the pressure on the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, in an attempt to force him from office. But regardless of what happens next, what has been notable is the reaction of China.In a December 3 briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that closing Venezuelan airspace would violate international norms and infringe on national sovereignty. Jian added that China rejects interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs “under any pretext” and called on all parties to keep Latin America a “zone of peace.”
This stance is no great surprise. China has developed strong relationships with several Latin American countries, including Venezuela, as part of a broader strategy to expand its presence in regions the US has long dominated. Trump’s threats of military action could jeopardize the influence China has built there.
Nationalist politician Sohei Kamiya aims to revitalize Japan
Japan’s new right-wing prime minister Sanae Takaichi is riding high in the polls, but Sohei Kamiya’s new nationalist party, Sanseito, which rose to prominance in the Upper House (House of Councillors) election last July, continues to advance in local elections and is making an increasing impact on the national political debate.
Kamiya and Sanseito have upset Japanese politics with a fiery brand of conservatism that defends traditional Japanese values and puts the interests of ordinary citizens ahead of what they regard as excessive globalism.
Leaping to prominence in the Upper House election last July with the slogan “Japanese First,” Sanseito won over millions of disaffected voters by promoting employment and income growth for the people of Japan rather than accepting more and more immigrants. Kamiya also believes that Japan should take responsibility for its own defense.
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Kamiya and Sanseito have upset Japanese politics with a fiery brand of conservatism that defends traditional Japanese values and puts the interests of ordinary citizens ahead of what they regard as excessive globalism.
Leaping to prominence in the Upper House election last July with the slogan “Japanese First,” Sanseito won over millions of disaffected voters by promoting employment and income growth for the people of Japan rather than accepting more and more immigrants. Kamiya also believes that Japan should take responsibility for its own defense.
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Chinese premier cites damage from US tariffs, as China’s surplus surpasses $1 trillion
Higher tariffs have dealt a “severe blow” to the world economy, China’s premier said Tuesday, even as China’s own trade surplus has surged past $1 trillion. Premier Li Qiang made the remarks at a forum of top international organizations held in Beijing while top Chinese leaders are attending an annual economic planning meeting.
“Starting from the beginning of this year, we’ve seen the stick of tariffs being wielded around the world with growing restrictive measures on the economy and trade, which have dealt a severe blow to the global economy,” Li said, without mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariff hikes specifically.
“As the situation has unfolded, the damaging consequences of tariffs hurting both others and oneself have become increasingly evident, and calls from all sides to uphold free trade have grown ever stronger,” Li told the gathering of top representatives from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization.
“Starting from the beginning of this year, we’ve seen the stick of tariffs being wielded around the world with growing restrictive measures on the economy and trade, which have dealt a severe blow to the global economy,” Li said, without mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariff hikes specifically.
“As the situation has unfolded, the damaging consequences of tariffs hurting both others and oneself have become increasingly evident, and calls from all sides to uphold free trade have grown ever stronger,” Li told the gathering of top representatives from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization.
‘A fight for our lives’: Ford teams up with Renault to make EVs that can rival Chinese brands
Renault and Ford will jointly develop small, cheaper Ford-branded electric vehicles for the European market to fend off rising competition from Chinese rivals, the companies said Tuesday.
“We know we’re in a fight for our lives in our industry,” Ford (F) CEO Jim Farley told reporters in Paris Monday ahead of the announcement, when describing Ford’s response to the threat posed by cheaper Chinese competition. “There is no better example than here in Europe.”
Europe’s traditional automakers face an influx of Chinese rivals from BYD to Changan and Xpeng (XPEV). As part of the Ford-Renault partnership, the first of two planned small EVs – to be produced at a Renault plant in northern France – will reach European car showrooms in 2028. They will be smaller than any Ford plans for the US market and fill a gap in the automaker’s line-up, Farley said.
“We know we’re in a fight for our lives in our industry,” Ford (F) CEO Jim Farley told reporters in Paris Monday ahead of the announcement, when describing Ford’s response to the threat posed by cheaper Chinese competition. “There is no better example than here in Europe.”
Europe’s traditional automakers face an influx of Chinese rivals from BYD to Changan and Xpeng (XPEV). As part of the Ford-Renault partnership, the first of two planned small EVs – to be produced at a Renault plant in northern France – will reach European car showrooms in 2028. They will be smaller than any Ford plans for the US market and fill a gap in the automaker’s line-up, Farley said.
Thailand and Cambodia are fighting again, leaving a Trump-brokered peace agreement on brink of collapse. What happened?
Armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia continued on Wednesday in defiance of calls from the United States to stop fighting and adhere to a months-old Trump-backed peace deal that now looks on the brink of complete collapse.
At least eight people have been killed since the latest skirmishes began, according to reports from both sides. By Tuesday, the fighting had spread to more points along the disputed border, with accusations of rocket strikes and drone attacks in some areas.
About 400,000 people living along the border that divides the Southeast Asian countries have been evacuated in the latest flare-up. And Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow hinted the clashes could escalate, telling CNN in a sit-down interview that military action would continue “until we feel that sovereignty and territorial integrity are not challenged.”
At least eight people have been killed since the latest skirmishes began, according to reports from both sides. By Tuesday, the fighting had spread to more points along the disputed border, with accusations of rocket strikes and drone attacks in some areas.
About 400,000 people living along the border that divides the Southeast Asian countries have been evacuated in the latest flare-up. And Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow hinted the clashes could escalate, telling CNN in a sit-down interview that military action would continue “until we feel that sovereignty and territorial integrity are not challenged.”
US isn’t winning trade war despite drop in its imports from China
China’s exports to the United States have dropped 26% year‑on‑year in the eight months after United States President Donald Trump imposed extra tariffs on imports from China in April.
Yet the time for Trump to take a victory lap is not at hand as China’s global trade surplus has continued to swell to record highs. And now commentators judge from his new US National Security Strategy report that the president and his administration may be starting to come to terms with the poor prospects for winning the trade war anytime soon. Some of what Trump’s critics would call overconfidence was toned down when he released the report on December 4.
It’s not that Trump acknowledged any error on his own part. As usual he blamed his predecessors for US problems with China, saying that, although they had long believed that opening US markets and encouraging investment in China while outsourcing manufacturing would draw Beijing into a “rules‑based international order,” the outcome was opposite.
Yet the time for Trump to take a victory lap is not at hand as China’s global trade surplus has continued to swell to record highs. And now commentators judge from his new US National Security Strategy report that the president and his administration may be starting to come to terms with the poor prospects for winning the trade war anytime soon. Some of what Trump’s critics would call overconfidence was toned down when he released the report on December 4.
It’s not that Trump acknowledged any error on his own part. As usual he blamed his predecessors for US problems with China, saying that, although they had long believed that opening US markets and encouraging investment in China while outsourcing manufacturing would draw Beijing into a “rules‑based international order,” the outcome was opposite.
Trump approves sale of more advanced Nvidia computer chips used in AI to China
President Donald Trump said Monday that he would allow Nvidiato sell an advanced type of computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. There have been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips to be sold to China as it could help the country better compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities, but there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
The chip, known as the H200, is not Nvidia’s most advanced product. Those chips, called Blackwell and the upcoming Rubin, were not part of what Trump approved. Trump said on social media that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping about his decision and “President Xi responded positively!”
“This policy will support American Jobs, strengthen U.S. Manufacturing, and benefit American Taxpayers,” Trump said in his post.
The chip, known as the H200, is not Nvidia’s most advanced product. Those chips, called Blackwell and the upcoming Rubin, were not part of what Trump approved. Trump said on social media that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping about his decision and “President Xi responded positively!”
“This policy will support American Jobs, strengthen U.S. Manufacturing, and benefit American Taxpayers,” Trump said in his post.
US Navy says it recovered two aircraft that crashed into South China Sea
The US Navy has recovered two aircraft that crashed into the South China Sea in October while flying off the USS Nimitz, the service said in a statement Tuesday. An unmanned system on a contracted vessel was used to lift the aircraft – an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and MH-60 helicopter – from a depth of 400 feet (122 meters) on December 5, the Navy said.
While neither are the most modern of the Navy’s aircraft, experts say the wrecks could have yielded useful intelligence if they had fallen into the hands of an adversary. “Everyone involved brought critical expertise ensuring we could safely and successfully bring these aircraft back under US custody,” Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Andersen, the officer in charge of the salvage mission, said in a statement.
While neither are the most modern of the Navy’s aircraft, experts say the wrecks could have yielded useful intelligence if they had fallen into the hands of an adversary. “Everyone involved brought critical expertise ensuring we could safely and successfully bring these aircraft back under US custody,” Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Andersen, the officer in charge of the salvage mission, said in a statement.
mandag 8. desember 2025
China’s Underwater Power Play: The PRC’s New Subsea Cable-Cutting Ship Spooks International Security Experts
Over the March 22 weekend, it was reported that the China Ship Scientific Research Centre (CSSRC) and its affiliated State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles have developed a ship able to cut cable lines at depths of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). Though subsea cable ships are outfitted with equipment to repair damaged or cut cables, the record depths to which this ship can go and the increasing tension in maritime areas with critical subsea infrastructure suggest that China has strengthened a tool in its arsenal, whether for intentionally cutting cables or supporting “marine resource development,” as alleged by Chinese scientists.
In the great power competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), subsea cables have emerged as critical theater, given that they are indispensable to international communications and are vulnerable to deniable intentional disruption; accidental cuts; surveillance, particularly at cable landing sites; and other risks.
In the great power competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), subsea cables have emerged as critical theater, given that they are indispensable to international communications and are vulnerable to deniable intentional disruption; accidental cuts; surveillance, particularly at cable landing sites; and other risks.
Security concerns grow for critical US-Asia deep-sea cables
Undersea cables are the backbone of globalization in the internet era — running across the ocean and sea floors to link nations and continents on different sides of the world. A 2021 report by Total Telecom puts their number at close to 500, with a combined length of around 1.3 million kilometers (808,000 miles). The numbers have only grown since.
"All of global data exchange flows through these cables," said Johannes Peters, the head of the Center for Maritime Strategy and Security at the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel.
"The internet, payment orders, any kind of information you can think of, any kind of spoken communication, it runs almost exclusively through these cables," Peters told DW. "On a global level, we are dependent on them."But these communication networks are increasingly seen as targets for potential sabotage.
The danger has been made plain by an ongoing series of incidents in the Baltic Sea. A study by the Washington University in Seattle found some 10 cables have been severed since 2022, including seven between November 2024 and January 2025, with additional incidents reported this summer.
"All of global data exchange flows through these cables," said Johannes Peters, the head of the Center for Maritime Strategy and Security at the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel.
"The internet, payment orders, any kind of information you can think of, any kind of spoken communication, it runs almost exclusively through these cables," Peters told DW. "On a global level, we are dependent on them."But these communication networks are increasingly seen as targets for potential sabotage.
The danger has been made plain by an ongoing series of incidents in the Baltic Sea. A study by the Washington University in Seattle found some 10 cables have been severed since 2022, including seven between November 2024 and January 2025, with additional incidents reported this summer.
China’s trade surplus tops $1 trillion as its exports surge
China’s exports rebounded in November after an unexpected contraction the previous month, pushing its trade surplus past $1 trillion for the first time, according to data released Monday. Exports climbed 5.9% from a year earlier in November while imports rose just under 2%.
The customs data released on Monday also showed that shipments to the U.S. dropped nearly 29% year-on-year. But as trade with the U.S. weakens, China is diversifying its export markets throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. China’s exports had contracted just over 1% in October. November’s worldwide exports of $330.3 billion exceeded economists’ estimates. Imports totaled $218.6 billion for the month.
The nearly $1.08 trillion trade surplus for the first 11 months of this year is a record high, surpassing the $992 billion surplus for all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.
The customs data released on Monday also showed that shipments to the U.S. dropped nearly 29% year-on-year. But as trade with the U.S. weakens, China is diversifying its export markets throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. China’s exports had contracted just over 1% in October. November’s worldwide exports of $330.3 billion exceeded economists’ estimates. Imports totaled $218.6 billion for the month.
The nearly $1.08 trillion trade surplus for the first 11 months of this year is a record high, surpassing the $992 billion surplus for all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.
Trump is proposing a $12B aid package for farmers hit hard by his trade war with China
President Donald Trump is planning a $12 billion farm aid package, according to a White House official — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised tariffs on China as part of a broader trade war.
According to the official, who was granted anonymity to speak ahead of a planned announcement, Trump will unveil the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, cattle, wheat, and potatoes.
According to the official, who was granted anonymity to speak ahead of a planned announcement, Trump will unveil the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, cattle, wheat, and potatoes.
Thailand launches airstrikes along border with Cambodia as tensions reignite
Thailand launched airstrikes along the disputed border with Cambodia on Monday as both sides accused the other of breaking a ceasefire that halted fighting earlier this year. Longstanding border disputes erupted into five days of combat in July that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. U.S. President Donald Trump pushed the Southeast Asian neighbors to sign a truce agreement in October, but tensions have continued to simmer.
The Thai ministry of defense said that more than 35,000 people have left areas near the border for shelters and more are believed to have fled to stay with relatives elsewhere, while Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said that residents of several villages near the border have been evacuated.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a televised speech that military operations would be carried out as necessary to defend the country and protect public safety.
The Thai ministry of defense said that more than 35,000 people have left areas near the border for shelters and more are believed to have fled to stay with relatives elsewhere, while Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said that residents of several villages near the border have been evacuated.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a televised speech that military operations would be carried out as necessary to defend the country and protect public safety.
China’s exports grow 5.9% in November, while US shipments drop 29%
China’s exports returned to growth in November following an unexpected contraction the month before, although shipments to the United States dropped nearly 29% from a year earlier in an eighth straight month of double-digit declines.
Overall exports from China in November were 5.9% higher than last year in dollar terms, according to customs data released Monday, at $330.3 billion, exceeding economists’ estimates. That was an improvement from a 1.1% contraction in October.
Underscoring a widening gap between overall exports and imports, the customs data showed that China’s trade surplus for the first 11 months surpassed the $1 trillion mark, at nearly $1.08 trillion. That’s a record high for any single year and is more than the $992 billion surplus in all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.
While exports from China to the U.S. have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa and the European Union.
Overall exports from China in November were 5.9% higher than last year in dollar terms, according to customs data released Monday, at $330.3 billion, exceeding economists’ estimates. That was an improvement from a 1.1% contraction in October.
Underscoring a widening gap between overall exports and imports, the customs data showed that China’s trade surplus for the first 11 months surpassed the $1 trillion mark, at nearly $1.08 trillion. That’s a record high for any single year and is more than the $992 billion surplus in all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.
While exports from China to the U.S. have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa and the European Union.
søndag 7. desember 2025
Japan is facing a dementia crisis – can technology help?
Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and wandered off in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead. Police say such cases have doubled since 2012, underscoring a growing strain on the world's oldest society. The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.
Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.
In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.
Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.
In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.
THE GUARDIAN INTERVIEWS CHINESE FIGHTERS FOR UKRAINE
The involvement of Chinese nationals in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine received widespread media attention earlier this year. This included an extended interview by Chinese journalist Chai Jing with one such combatant, "Macaron," which was was subsequently translated in two parts by CDT. The much smaller number of Chinese fighters on the Ukrainian side has received less notice. One notable exception is Peng Chenliang, who was killed in 2024 and, before joining the war, had reportedly been detained for seven months in China over his anti-Russia, pro-Ukraine posts on X. At The Guardian this week, Amy Hawkins reported on the stories of several other Chinese nationals fighting for Ukraine.
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