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: January 26, 2021
China’s FM Spokesman Tries to Cool Tensions Over Reports of “Vaccine Rivalry” With India
The Chinese government appears to be moving to de-escalate tensions with India over reports that the two Asian powers are increasingly engaged in a so-called "vaccine rivalry" related to the distribution of COVID-19 jabs to developing countries around the world. "There ...
African Media Didn’t Cover Xi Jinping’s World Economic Forum Speech, But They Probably Should Have
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday delivered his first major international address since Joe Biden became president of the United States. Xi spoke remotely to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He touted China's success in battling COVID-19, reiterated his oft-stated support of multilateral institutions, and ...
Three Experts Reflect on China’s Ambitious New Aid and International Development Agenda
The Chinese government earlier this month published a major update to the country's foreign aid and international development strategy. The new white paper entitled "China's International Development Cooperation in the New Era" maps out an ambitious new vision that integrates Chinese overseas development ...
Background: For More Than a Decade, Africa’s Been the Top Destination for Chinese Foreign Aid
Since 2010, Africa's been the largest recipient of Chinese foreign aid, even as China's ties in Asia have grown to be more geopolitically consequential. However, when reviewing data in the recently-published white paper on Chinese international development, analysts at the Beijing-based consultancy ...
What did Xi Jinping Really Say at Davos?
It’s fascinating to read Xi Jinping’s address to the World Economic Forum and then to read the comments about the speech. What U.S. commentators focus on, and what they ignore, reveal much about the challenges posed by China’s rise to established powers like the United States. The ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
China Wants to Become a Major Player in International Aid
In January, China published a blueprint for how it plans to become one of the world's leading countries in international development. The white paper on "China's International's Development Cooperation in the New Era" released by the State ...