Day: April 25, 2024
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Philippines Rejects China’s Criticism of U.S. Missile Plan
The Philippine defense secretary rejected Chinese criticism of Manila's plans to acquire a U.S.-built mid-range missile system, telling Beijing on Tuesday to stop its "saber-rattling" and "interference" in internal affairs. The Philippine Army announced plans on Monday to acquire the U.S. ...
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Chinese Workers Saved From ‘Slave-Like Conditions’ at BYD Site in Brazil
More than 160 Chinese workers have been saved from "slave-like conditions" in Brazil, where they had been building an electric car factory for Chinese giant BYD, officials said Tuesday. BYD's Brazilian subsidiary said in a statement late Monday it has "broken ...
Japan’s Top Diplomat in China To Address ‘Challenges’
Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya met counterpart Wang Yi and other top officials in Beijing on Wednesday, after Tokyo acknowledged "challenges and concerns" in ties. The visit is Iwaya's first to China since becoming Japan's top diplomat earlier this year.
[DOUBLE EPISODE] 2024 China-Africa Year in Review
2024 will be remembered as a seminal year in China-Africa relations with a rebound of Chinese lending to the continent and renewed diplomatic engagement in the run-up to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit that took place in Beijing.
Mexico Not a Backdoor for Chinese Products, President Sheinbaum Says
Chinese products are not entering the United States and Canada through Mexico, the president of the Latin American nation said on Friday, and the government will make that clear in upcoming trade meetings. "In the meetings we have with Canada and ...
Mounting Concerns in Cambodia Chinese Funding for Controversial Canal May Fall Through
When construction of Cambodia's $1.7 billion Funan Techo canal got underway in August, Prime Minister Hun Manet confidently assured everyone that Chinese funding for the project would come through. Now, though, there are mounting concerns the Prime Minister's assurances may have been ...
China’s Future Role in Zimbabwe Power Plant Uncertain Amid Debt Crisis
Zimbabwe's business community is sounding the alarm over the prospect that one of the country's largest sources of electricity could be shuttered due to its failure to repay debts to Chinese creditors. Zimbabwe power authorities have reportedly fallen behind in servicing ...
New Geopolitical Landscape Explains Why Xi Made Unannounced Stopover in Morocco
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived back in Beijing on Saturday after a week-long trip to South America to attend a pair of summits in Brazil and Peru. On his way home, Xi made an unscheduled stopover in Morocco on Thursday, where he was greeted at the airport ...
The BRICS in Kazan: A Testing Ground for Chinese Multipolarism?
By Giulia Sciorati This week’s BRICS summit in Kazan has represented a key opportunity for Beijing to strengthen its leadership within the group and solidify its status as both a regional and global power. For China, BRICS serves primarily as a ...
Kiribati’s Pro-China President Eyes Third Term
Kiribati's pro-China acting president Taneti Maamau sought a third term in power Friday, as voters chose between three candidates to lead the low-lying Pacific island. Maamau, 64, retained his seat by a landslide in August parliamentary elections that were dominated by ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Putin Urges BRICS to Develop SWIFT-Like Payment System
The Indonesian Coast Guard said it “drove out” a Chinese Coast Guard vessel from a contested area of the South China Sea. The Indonesian side was busy with a gas survey conducted by the country’s oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, off the Natuna Islands. In radio communication, ...
IMF Chief Seeks More Details on BRICS Payments System Plans
The IMF wants to know more about a cross-border payments system discussed by the BRICS group of countries this week and aimed at boosting non-dollar transactions, the Fund's managing director said Thursday. The meeting of the BRICS -- meaning Brazil, Russia, ...
Chinese EVs are Reshaping the International Landscape
The Biden administration on Monday announced a ban on Chinese-made software and hardware that connect electric vehicles to the outside world. It includes a range of cameras and sensors and the software driving them. It also includes a ban on Chinese-made autonomous driving software.
Philippines Military Backs Permanent Stay of U.S. Missile System
Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner on Wednesday backed the permanent stationing of a U.S. missile system in his country after China had warned deployment of the weapon was destabilizing the region. The U.S. Army said in April it had deployed ...
FM Wang Says China Pledges ‘Support’ for Iran
China's top diplomat Wang Yi pledged to support Iran in safeguarding its security against "external forces" in a meeting with the country's new president in New York, Beijing's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Wang met President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of ...
Photo Essay: How Life Goes on in Communities Along Dam-Saturated Mekong River
Over the past ten days, countries along the Mekong River have been desperately trying to mitigate the devastating impact from the river’s surging water levels due to Typhoon Yagi – the worst typhoon to hit the region in decades. ...
China’s Response to the Wars in the Middle East
The rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon prompted a strong reaction from the Chinese government this week. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib on Monday at the UN in New York ...
Iran’s Pezeshkian to Meet Putin, Attend BRICS Summit
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will hold talks with Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia next month to attend the BRICS summit, a government spokeswoman said Tuesday. The visit to the BRICS summit in the Volga valley city of Kazan from ...
China Says It Rescued ‘Personnel’ After Philippines Collision
China's coast guard said it rescued Filipino "personnel" who fell overboard Sunday after a Philippine vessel collided with one of its ships near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The two nations have had repeated confrontations in the waters ...
Russia, China FMs Meet as ASEAN Talks Get Underway in Laos
By Montira Rungjirajittranon The foreign ministers of Russia and China met on Thursday on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers talks in Laos, Moscow and AFP journalists said. ...
Beijing’s Palestinian Diplomacy is About Much More Than Just Peace in the Middle East, Says Prominent Scholar
While China is undeniably playing an increasingly important role as a convener for seemingly intractable diplomatic stalemates in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf regions, how much Beijing is responsible for the outcomes of these engagements is very much in question.
Widespread Skepticism Emerges in Response to Beijing-Brokered Palestinian Reconciliation Deal
Chinese state media moved quickly after Beijing brokered a Palestinian national unity deal that it portrayed as another example of its increasingly prominent role as Mideast mediator. The "Beijing Declaration" was widely seen as a breakthrough as it brought together 14 ...
In Fuel-Guzzling Saudi Arabia, Chinese Electric Cars Pique Interest
By Haitham El-Tabei For Hamed al-Rafidain, a Saudi human resources worker, an electric vehicle offers welcome savings, especially since his other car is a fuel-guzzling four-wheel drive favored by motorists in the desert kingdom. The ...
China Starts Work on Afghan Copper Mine Long Stalled by War
By Joe Stenson Chinese engineers and the Taliban government broke ground in Afghanistan on Wednesday on a project to mine the world's second-largest copper deposit after a 16-year delay caused by war. Surveyors estimate Mes ...
Chinese Oil Company Suspends Niger Construction Over ‘Terrorist’ Threat
A Chinese state-owned petroleum company has suspended all construction at the Agadem oilfield in eastern Niger after "terrorist" attacks, AFP learned from the company Wednesday. The suspension comes after a series of attacks on Niger's oil infrastructure in recent months, including ...
Bangladesh PM Stretched Between India and China
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit China from 8 to 11 July, the government announced on Monday. The announcement overlapped with a visit by Liu Jianchao, the Chinese Communist Party’s top official in charge of foreign liaison. "Bangladesh to us ...
Pakistan Announces Anti-Terrorism Campaign Amid Pressure From Beijing
The Pakistani government announced a military operation aimed at curbing violent terrorism. Dubbed Azm-e-Istehkam (‘Resolve for Stability’ in Urdu) the operation will likely focus on militants crossing from Afghanistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday: “Ensuring protection and security of both ...
Philippines Eyes China Talks After Violent Sea Clash
The Philippines is eyeing talks with China to discuss a violent clash last week between their sailors in the South China Sea, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said Tuesday. Chinese coast guard personnel wielding knives, sticks, and an axe foiled a June ...
The Case for Early Retirement of Chinese Financed Overseas Coal Plants
By Cecilia Springer China leads the world in domestic renewable energy installation and low-carbon manufacturing and is increasingly positioning itself as a climate leader through its development financing in the Global South. However, China ...
Philippine Government Disavows Deepfake Audio of President Marcos Directing Military to Act Against China
A video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. purportedly ordering the Philippines Armed Forces to take action against China circulated widely on YouTube on Wednesday, prompting an immediate response from the president's communications team who denounced it as a "deepfake." The audio on ...
African Union Officials Gently Raise the Issue of Chinese Treatment of Local Workers During Human Rights Talks
Diplomats from China and the African Union met this week as part of a regular dialogue focused on human rights. Even though Monday's talks were premised on making "concrete recommendations to pressing human rights concerns in both regions," neither side made ...
South China Sea: Litmus Test for Indonesia-China Defense Ties
On April 12, Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Wu Qian told the media that China intended to bolster military ties with Indonesia. Wu Qian made the remark after Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s recent visit to China–the first overseas trip since Prabowo won the election in February.
Myanmar Junta Minister Heads to Beijing for Security Talks
The Myanmar junta's home minister has left for China for security talks with Beijing's minister for public security, state media said Thursday. Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae left for China on Wednesday for a "working visit to discuss law enforcement and security cooperation ...
Leaders Arrive in Beijing for What’s Going to be a Frenetic Week of Global South Diplomacy
Visiting heads of state, foreign ministers, and party leaders from Asia, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean arrived in Beijing this weekend for what's going to be a very busy week ahead for Chinese diplomacy specifically focused on small and mid-sized countries in the Global South.
China’s Defense Ministry Issues Stark Warning to the Philippines After Latest South China Sea Confrontation
The Chinese government warned the Philippines that if it continues to challenge Beijing's sovereignty over disputed territories in the South China Sea, Beijing will take "resolute and decisive measures." China's Defense Ministry issued the warning on Sunday, one day after
Western Governments Rally Behind Philippines After Latest Confrontation With China While ASEAN States Lay Low
A familiar pattern is beginning to set in after the increasingly frequent confrontations at sea between China and the Philippines: Japan and a group of Western governments, led by the U.S., immediately condemn China for its "dangerous manoeuvers," while governments in Southeast Asia remain noticeably quiet. ...
Kenya, China Prep for Upcoming FOCAC Summit in Beijing
Senior Chinese and Kenyan officials held talks in Nairobi about what will be on the agenda at the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit scheduled to take place later this fall in Beijing. The two sides met on Friday ...
TikTok’s Growing Popularity in Africa
Africa has the youngest population in the world, and they are rapidly warming to TikTok, the social media platform developed by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance. With its popular short videos and music with various features, TikTok is taking off in ...
Noo Saro-Wiwa on “Black Ghosts” in China and the Complex Lives of the African Diaspora
Author Noo Saro-Wiwa had not spent much time in China when she heard that cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Yiwu, among others, were home to large, vibrant African migrant communities. But other than some of the headlines about the diaspora ...
Antony Blinken’s Africa-China Talking Points Sound Awfully Familiar…
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took a break from his tour of Africa for an interview with Radio France Internationale in Abidjan. Biden administration officials have generally steered away from openly criticizing Africa’s engagement with China. However, when the inevitable ...
3 Things Kenya’s Foreign Minister Should Focus On During 3-Day China Visit
Kenya's top diplomat Musalia Mudavadi kicked off a three-day official visit to China on Wednesday, where he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior officials. The visit comes at a crucial time for ties between the two countries as ...
China, Vietnam Tensions Flare Anew Over South China Sea Islands
The Chinese Foreign Ministry pushed back against accusations this week by the Vietnamese government that a pair of disputed islands in the South China Sea that were captured by China in a 1974 battle marked a "serious violation of international law."
Global Split At China’s Human Rights Review
The UN Human Rights Council’s current hearing on China’s human rights record is exposing a global split. The Universal Periodic Review process happens once every 4.5 years for all member states. However, China’s turn has drawn particular attention, with numerous countries lining ...
Argentina and Ghana to Play a Friendly in Beijing Next Month
Argentina officially confirmed on Wednesday that it will play an international friendly against Ghana's Black Stars in Beijing on March 26th. China-Argentina relations have been wobbly since the recent election as president of China hawk Javier Milei, who withdrew the country ...
File image of an artisanal miner carrying raw ore at Tilwizembe, a former industrial copper-cobalt mine, outside of Kolwezi, the capital city of Lualaba Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. REUTERS/Kenny Katombe/File Photo
By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila and Ange Kasongo The U.S. has made progress in its push to prise Congo's strategic minerals from China's orbit, but conflict, contested licences and compliance demands are still slowing Washington's advance into a region its rival dominates, diplomats and ...
Philippine Government Disavows Deepfake Audio of President Marcos Directing Military to Act Against China
A video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. purportedly ordering the Philippines Armed Forces to take action against China circulated widely on YouTube on Wednesday, prompting an immediate response from the president's communications team who denounced it as a "deepfake." The audio on ...
African Union Officials Gently Raise the Issue of Chinese Treatment of Local Workers During Human Rights Talks
Diplomats from China and the African Union met this week as part of a regular dialogue focused on human rights. Even though Monday's talks were premised on making "concrete recommendations to pressing human rights concerns in both regions," neither side made ...
South China Sea: Litmus Test for Indonesia-China Defense Ties
On April 12, Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Wu Qian told the media that China intended to bolster military ties with Indonesia. Wu Qian made the remark after Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s recent visit to China–the first overseas trip since Prabowo won the election in February.
Myanmar Junta Minister Heads to Beijing for Security Talks
The Myanmar junta's home minister has left for China for security talks with Beijing's minister for public security, state media said Thursday. Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae left for China on Wednesday for a "working visit to discuss law enforcement and security cooperation ...