The Philippine coastguard called on its country’s fishing fleets to keep operating around the Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China) despite the large Chinese presence in the disputed South China Sea area.
Coastguard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said while Philippine government vessels can’t maintain a constant presence, they are committed to protecting the country’s fishing rights in what it sees as its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Day: November 8, 2021
Chinese, Senegalese Governments Formally Announce FOCAC Dates and Themes
After months of speculation, the Chinese and Senegalese governments last week announced the dates for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ministerial conference that will take place in Dakar on Monday, November 29th, and Tuesday, November 30th.
Representatives From 50 African Countries Take Part in Inaugural China-Africa Beidou Forum
More than 600 representatives from almost every African country, including eight ministers and eight ambassadors, attended the first-ever China-Africa Beidou System Cooperation Forum that took place on Friday in Beijing and also online with stakeholders in Africa. ...
Scholars, Diplomats in South Africa Discuss the Future of Africa-China Ties
The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) together with the Chinese embassy in Pretoria hosted an online forum last week that featured discussions among Chinese diplomats, including Ambassador Chen Xiaodong, and scholars from both China and Africa to discuss the future of ties between the two ...
Lina Benabdallah Reflects on How This Year’s FOCAC Will Differ From Past Gatherings
Acclaimed China-Africa scholar, Lina Benabdalla, an assistant professor at Wake Forest University in the U.S., reflected on Twitter about how the upcoming FOCAC ministerial conference will be different than previous leadership summits. The following is a lightly edited transcript of her four-part thread on Twitter:
In a Rare Move, China Joins U.S. in UN Statement Calling For Ceasefire in Ethiopia
The 15-member United Nations Security Council achieved rare consensus on Friday when it issued a statement that called on the warring parties in Ethiopia to halt fighting and engage in ceasefire talks. Both China and Russia have ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Philippine Fishing Fleets Urged to Maintain Presence at Disputed Shoal as Tensions Build
Chinese Embassy in Nairobi Dismisses “Fact-Neglecting” U.S. Allegation The PLA Considered Kenya to Set Up a New Base
The United States Defense Department renewed a longstanding allegation, that as of today remains unsubstantiated, that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) "likely considered a number of countries" to set up new military bases including Kenya, Seychelles, Angola, and Tajikstan among other states around ...
Liberian Senate Approves Controversial Resources-For-Infrastructure Deal With Chinese Mining Company
The Liberian Senate voted on Friday to approve a controversial $2.5 billion iron ore for infrastructure deal with the Chinese mining giant BAO Chico. The origins of the deal date back to the 2018 FOCAC summit when President George Weah negotiated the arrangement ...
A Small Chinese Aid Donation in The Gambia Reveals One of China’s Bigger Priorities in Africa
At a glance, Saturday's announcement that China would provide a $23 million grant to The Gambia for unspecified "economic and technical cooperation" (that's often diplomatic speak for unrestricted aid) doesn't seem remarkable at all. Ambassador Ma Jianchun ...
China To Upgrade Equipment at Somalia’s Government-run Media Outlets
China's newly arrived ambassador to Somalia, Fei Shengchao, visited the broadcasting facilities of Radio Mogadishu and the Somali National Television last week and promised to help the government-run broadcasters to upgrade their outdated equipment.
A Group of South African Tourist Guides Graduated From a Chinese Language and Culture Program… But There’s One Small Problem Though
16 tour guides in South Africa graduated on Friday from a six-week program that taught them Chinese language and culture in the hope they'll be able to better support what was once one of the fastest-growing sources of tourism to SA.