The Swedish government’s reaction to the story recently published by the popular Swedish daily tabloid Aftonbladet, suggesting that Israeli had harvested the organs of Palestinian victims for their own purposes, is difficult to understand. The article was entitled “Our Sons’ Organs Were Plundered” and was based on interviews with Palestinian families – although no evidence [...]

It’s interesting to compare the populations of EU Member States with those of Chinese provinces: • 14 Chinese provinces figure in the biggest 20 • 4 are bigger than Germany • 8 are bigger than France and the UK • 9 are bigger than Italy • 14 are bigger than Spain • 15 are bigger than Poland These figures put in [...]

Although there are differences between the situation in Tibet and Xinjiang, there are also similarities.  This note it is not judgmental and is intended as a constructive contribution to the need to solve a serious tension in Chinese society concerning ethnic minorities, Satisfying the preservation of the unity of a country and the aspirations of [...]

Now that some time has elapsed, it is useful to revisit the troubles that broke out in Urumqi on early July.  These comments are not judgmental and are intended to expose the lack of mutual understanding and misperceptions between Europeans and Chinese, and the need for dialogue in all sectors of society and at all [...]

The China Daily of 15 August reported that the US is testing a new technology called ‘Feed over Email’ (FOE) that enables web users in countries with internet censorship to bypass the blocks put in place.  This could soon give the country’s 300 million web users another way to access information blocked by the Chinese [...]

The Chinese authorities permitted the domestic and foreign media to go to Urumqi, immediately after the recent riots, whereas journalists were banned from Tibet after the riots in Lhasa in March 2009.  There are apparently differing views within the leadership.  The unity of China is an ongoing preoccupation of its leadership.  There is a fear [...]

This note is based on Jason Tower’s article in China Review, summer 2009. Civil society is developing well in China.  There are tens of thousands of ‘NGO’s.  Chinese official activity in all realms of international society is ubiquitous.  However, Chinese civil society organisations are notably absent on the international scene.  This creates difficulties for China, [...]

Technically, communication has never been greater or faster than in today’s era of globalisation. But there seems to have been no progress over the last two decades or so in improving the quality of communication. Effective communication between individuals is a vital element of our everyday lives but we are rarely taught this, or indeed [...]

In the sixties, when EU-relations were probably at their best, EU Founding Father Jean Monnet proposed the creation of a high level US-EU Committee of Mutual Understanding.  Monnet’s argument that this was both side’s most important relationship, that relationships need nurturing, and that you start the nurturing when things are going well, was rejected.  Today, [...]

I commend to you the article in Foreign Affairs of 5 August by Michael Bröning, in which he argues that the January war in Gaza overshadowed the fact that Hamas is in the midst of an unprecedented ideological transformation, and it’s time for the West to pay attention. I have always been in favour of [...]