Day: March 16, 2021
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In a Potentially Troubling Development for Africa, Sinovac Did Not Perform Well in Early Test Against Omicron Variant
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) found that people inoculated with two doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine did not produce sufficient detectable levels of antibodies needed to fend off the new highly-infectious Omicron variant.
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Sinovac’s Limited Distribution in Africa May End Up Being a Blessing if Omicron Spreads
Distribution of Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine remains relatively limited in Africa, according to data from Bridge Consulting's weekly vaccine tracker report. So, if the vaccine is not able to effectively counteract the Omicron variant, the overall impact will be limited.
Even Though More Countries Have Received Chinese Vaccines, Distribution Remains Highly Unequal
There does not appear to be any pattern to the inconsistent distribution of Chinese vaccines in Africa over the past 12 months. For much of the year, North African countries accounted for the bulk of deliveries, but that started to change as deliveries increased to southern African ...
Iranian Security Service Buys Advanced Video Surveillance Technology From China
One of China's largest video surveillance companies, Tiandy, is reportedly selling large quantities of sophisticated AI-enabled cameras with facial recognition technology to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and other Iranian security services, according to a report published earlier this month by surveillance research group IPVM.
China’s Communist Youth League Asks “Who’s Better For Africa? China or the U.S.?” (Guess Who They Picked?)
The Central Committee of China's influential Communist Youth League (CYL) published a rather comical (unintentionally of course) comparison between U.S. and Chinese engagement in Africa that made the case as to why China, not surprisingly, is the more optimal partner for the continent.
A drone view of the Panamanian‑flagged Crimson Delight vessel sailing through the Panama Canal as the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said on Thursday it is closely monitoring a surge in detentions of Panama‑flagged vessels in China, a development that appears linked to a Panama court ruling against Hong Kong‑based CK Hutchison, in Gamboa, Panama, March 27, 2026. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
More than two months ago, Panama’s Supreme Court annulled a long-standing contract that allowed Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchison to operate the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, located at either end of the Panama Canal. The decision essentially removed a Chinese-linked company from two of the most strategically important nodes in ...
Kenya’s Treasury Chief Refutes Media Reports that the Port of Mombasa is at Risk of Forfeiture to China
Kenya's Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani denied, again, on Monday that the Port of Mombasa could be handed over to China in the event that Kenya Railways is unable to repay its SGR debt. Yattani responded to a front-page story in The Star ...
The Star Editorial Board: SGR Needs to Go Regional to Repay Its Chinese Creditors
Kenya needs to invest even more money into the embattled SGR if the railway has any chance of becoming financially self-sufficient to the point where it can repay its Chinese creditors, according to an editorial in today's The Star newspaper. For ...
MP: Rampant Corruption, Poor Planning and “Pooh Pooh” Leadership to Blame for SGR’s Woes (Not China)
Kenyan Member of Parliament for Kitutu Chache, Richard Onyonka, gave a very entertaining assessment of why the Standard Gauge Railway is facing so many difficulties which all, more or else in his view, relate to poor leadership and governance.
With Chinese Engineers Back on Site, Zimbabwe’s New International Airport is Almost Half Done
Construction of the new international terminal at Harare's main airport is now 46% complete according to Zimbabwean officials who credit the return of Chinese engineers for the recent progress. Chinese staff on the project had been unable to get back into ...
While Everyone Focuses on Vaccine Distribution, China Appears to Be Ramping Up Donations of Medical Supplies Again
Chinese donations of PPE and other COVID-19-related medical supplies to African governments appear to be picking up again. In recent months China shifted its focus away from shipping masks, ventilators, and other materials to focus instead on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
A Chartered Air Zimbabwe Jet Took Off From China to Harare With a “Full Tummy” of Vaccines
344,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines landed in Harare this morning on a charter flight from China. This latest shipment is part of 1.2 million doses purchase made by the Zimbabwean government. In addition to the vaccines, various supplies including syringes ...
Two Events in China and the DR Congo Illustrate Why the Race for Cobalt Supplies is So Important
Soaring demand for electric cars and trucks is sparking a buying frenzy for the critical ingredients used to make the batteries in those vehicles, namely cobalt. Prices for the metal are up 65% this year alone, the highest since 2018, at $53,000 a ton. ...
BlackLivity’s Láikàn (来看) Series Portrays a Nuanced, Complex View of Black Life in China
BlackLivity, the independent community-based media platform dedicated to showcasing Black life in China, launched a new video this week that highlights the site's compelling Láikàn series that provides first-person stories about the African diaspora experience in and about China.
Why the Debt Trap Narrative Won’t Die Soon (or Ever)
Recent reports of the debt trap’s death might have been exaggerated. Like a vampire that just won’t die, we keep burying it, but it keeps rising from the coffin. This week we saw reports that Kenyan politicians had to clarify again that the Mombasa port itself ...