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A Glimmer of Hope in the Middle of a Dark Tunnel

By Lukas Fiala As someone working on international affairs in today’s world, it’s rare to end the week on an optimistic note. Yet, sometimes even the darkest of times offer a glimpse of hope. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s return to in-person ...

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U.S.-China Technology Competition in Africa

African telecom operators have resolutely opposed U.S. calls to stop using Chinese networking hardware. In fact, Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese tech firms in recent years have significantly expanded their presence beyond networking to mobile money, data centers, and even new ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: Beijing Considering Hosting a Third Belt & Road Forum Next Year

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing is considering hosting a third Belt & Road forum next year, the first time a major BRI event would be convened in China since the beginning of the pandemic. The key question is whether China will relax its strict COVID travel restrictions ...

China’s Lending Will Be Demand-Driven: Ambassador

China will not promote loan-supported projects to the Global South but will be led by recipient country demand. This was one of the takeaways from a recent interview with China’s ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian. His comments included hints of China's emerging, more cautious ...

Does China Want Africa to “Choose Sides”? Maybe a Little Bit

China often assures African countries that they won’t be made to ‘choose sides’ in a new cold war. However, a recent op-ed by a prominent Africa-focused think tanker makes clear that Beijing increasingly sees the continent as a stage for geopolitical competition.  Yao ...
3 Reasons China Will Ignore Donald Trump’s Demand to Contribute Forces to Re-Open Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on a flight back to Washington March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump on Sunday called on China and several European nations to join a U.S.-led military coalition aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply. The demand, which appeared ...

Calls Growing Louder in Kenya to Balance Lopsided Trade With China

All week, numbers have been trickling out of Kenya's National Bureau of Statistics that depict a dangerously lopsided economic relationship with China. The latest data show that last Kenyans $3.9 billion worth of products from China but exported just $131 million in return.

China Donates Surveillance System and Vehicles to Help Protect Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway

China's Ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjiang, used a ceremonial outsized key to mark the opening of a new Chinese-financed security surveillance center for the Standard Gauge Railway. It was not specified what kind of surveillance technology and from what manufacturer was ...

Beyond the “New Cold War”: Russia, China, Ukraine, the Global South

By Lukas Fiala and Hugo Jones The world watches as a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolds, after a prolonged period of guesswork around Putin’s strategic intentions. Millions of Ukrainians fear for their lives and seek shelter from Russian airstrikes and artillery. ...

U.S., European Tech Competition With China in Africa

Challenging China's dominance in Africa's tech sector was one of the key takeaways from this month's Europe-Africa summit and a key component of the EU's Global Gateway infrastructure agenda. But it's not going to be easy given the enormous breadth of ...
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