Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019.
The timing of the announcement that Rome won’t renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the EU-China summit, which kicks off on Thursday. The summit will likely be more contentious than usual, with European leaders expected to push China on the treatment of EU firms amid discussions ...
Day: February 18, 2020
As Demand in China Falls, Vietnam’s Rice Exporters Encouraged to Look to Africa
Vietnam is the world's third-largest rice exporter behind India and Thailand. Until recently, China was the country's largest export market but trade disruptions and falling demand due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis is prompting the Vietnamese to looking further afield for new markets... ...
Chinese Embassy in Kenya Takes to Twitter to Confront Online Rumors
The Chinese embassy in Nairobi is directly confronting an online rumor circulated by Twitter user Robert Alai to his 1.3 million followers that a Chinese worker infected with COVID-19 bribed an immigration officer at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and is now hiding out at a campsite.
Kenya’s Ambassador to China Issues Emotional Plea on Behalf of Trapped Students in Wuhan
Kenya's Ambassador to China, Sarah Serem, issued an emotional statement on behalf of the dozens of Kenyan students who remain trapped in Wuhan, the epicenter of the worsening COVID-19 outbreak: Going through the daily updates of the impact of the coronavirus ...
It Shouldn’t be a Huge Surprise That China is Not Pleased With Pompeo’s Africa Tour
One of China's leading English-language newspapers took aim at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his ongoing three-nation African tour. In a sharply worded editorial published on Monday, China Daily described U.S. policy as "demeaning" and "arrogant." The newspaper also rebutted ...
After Avoiding the Issue in Senegal, China Creeps Back into Pompeo’s Messaging in Angola
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up his visit to Angola, the second stop on a three-nation African tour, where he largely stayed on message promoting U.S. business interests and focusing on anti-corruption issues. But unlike in Senegal where the Secretary avoided any public mention of ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
African Students in Wuhan Will Soon Reach a Breaking Point
It's totally understandable why Kenya, Ghana and most other African governments have been reluctant to repatriate their students from Wuhan. These countries are struggling to fortify their defenses against a COVID-19 outbreak and the prospect of bringing home hundreds of potentially infected students is no doubt daunting. ...
Nigeria Doesn’t Want to Have to Choose Between the U.S. & China
Tensions between the United States and China have deteriorated significantly in recent years amid bitter disputes over trade, technology and geopolitical competition around the world. Other countries are increasingly being drawn into this rivalry and either directly or indirectly forced ...