Day: November 6, 2024
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China Slams U.S., Urges to Abandon Tariffs on Solar Panel, Warns of Climate Risks
China on Thursday slammed the United States' move to impose tariffs as high as 271% on solar panel imports from Southeast Asia, calling it a protectionist measure that jeopardizes global climate efforts. The tariffs, announced by the U.S. Commerce Department ...
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No, the Lobito Corridor is NOT a U.S. Project
U.S. President Joe Biden finally made his long-postponed trip to Angola, fulfilling his December 2022 promise to visit Africa. When the promise was initially made, there were expectations of a more substantial visit—perhaps including multiple countries—not just a single stop as a “lame duck.”
WEEK IN REVIEW: China Backs Syria’s Efforts to Maintain National Security and Stability
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted his counterparts from five Central Asian countries for talks on Sunday in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Boosting trade, Chinese infrastructure investment and security topped the agenda at the annual gathering. (CHINA DAILY) ...
Fact-Checking International Media Coverage of Biden’s Africa Tour
Joe Biden wrapped up a three-day trip to Cabo Verde and Angola this week, marking the first visit by a sitting U.S. President to Africa in almost ten years. Although Biden sought to lay out an expansive vision for U.S. foreign ...
“Self-Othering” and “Neighboring”: Understanding China’s Global South Strategy
By Giulia Sciorati The Third Belt and Road Forum, held in Beijing on October 18th, marked a significant moment to evaluate China’s strategies for engaging the Global South. While public discourse has focused on financial commitments and infrastructure projects, the narratives ...
Chinese Embassy in Syria Tells Citizens to ‘Leave Country as Soon as Possible’
China's embassy sent an urgent notice on Thursday advising its citizens to leave Syria "as soon as possible" as Islamist-led rebel forces continue their offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's troops. The rebels, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ...
Philippines Seizes Two Spratly Islands in South China Sea War Games
The Philippines is aiming for a "persistent presence" in the South China Sea, a senior military official said Wednesday, as troops conducted war games featuring the mock retaking of an island in the flashpoint waters. China has sought to expand its ...
Indian Border Patrols Resume as Minister Warns of “Other Challenges”
Indian army patrols of key areas along its disputed border have been completed for the first time since a bloody border incident in 2020 resulted in a standoff with China. The army’s 14th corps announced on Monday that they successfully completed patrols of parts of Depsang Ara ...
Shooting Incident Further Raises Security Concerns in Pakistan
Two Chinese nationals were wounded after a private security guard opened fire at a garment factory in Karachi. An unnamed police official reportedly said that the guard hasn’t been arrested and that no motive has yet been ascertained. However, Bloomberg reported ...
Philippines Seeks ‘Persistent Presence’ in Disputed Sea
The Philippines is aiming for a "persistent presence" in the South China Sea, a senior military official said Wednesday, as troops conducted war games featuring the mock retaking of an island in the flashpoint waters. Beijing has sought to expand its ...
Philippines Says Joint Maritime Exercises Rein in China
Joint naval exercises held frequently by the Philippines, United States, and other Western powers are helping rein in "aggressive" Chinese actions in the South China Sea, a Filipino military official said Wednesday. Beijing has sought to expand its presence in the ...
Brazil Walks a Tightrope on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, With One Eye on the G20
By Thiago P.B. Bessimo In Brazil, foreign policy appears to be a delicate dance these days, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration striking a careful balance between competing global powers. Lula’s foreign policy advisor, Celso Amorim—often seen as the real ...
Brazil Edges Closer to China’s Belt and Road. Why Now?
By Matt Sandy As China’s Belt and Road Initiative enters its second decade, the country appears on the verge of persuading Brazil to make the significant decision to finally sign up to its flagship overseas investment programme.'
Maldives Leader Heads to India to Repair Frail Ties
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will undertake his first state visit to India on Sunday, aiming to repair frail ties between the two South Asian neighbors. Pro-China Muizzu came to power a year ago on a promise to evict dozens of Indian ...
Sri Lanka Approves Controversial Foreign Debt Deal
Sri Lanka's new government has approved a controversial restructure of $14.7 billion in foreign commercial credit tentatively agreed by its predecessor, the finance ministry said Saturday. Former leader Ranil Wickremesinghe announced a deal with international sovereign bondholders and the China Development ...
China Says It Evacuated 215 Nationals From Lebanon
China said Saturday that it has evacuated 215 of its nationals from Lebanon, where Israel has been carrying out intense bombardments since last month, resulting in over 1,100 deaths. This week, Israel said its troops launched "ground raids" into parts of ...
FOCAC and China’s Global Messaging
This year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was partly aimed at reinvigorating a relationship many had framed as declining. Preceded by new data showing that Chinese project financing in Africa increased after a multi-year fall, China sought to use FOCAC to present an image of its engagement with ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: China Signs Deal to Revamp TAZARA Railway
China and the Philippines accused each other of deliberately ramming their coast guard ships near the disputed Sabina Shoal on Saturday. A China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson said the Philippines ship “deliberately collided with” a Chinese vessel. Meanwhile, officials in Manila said the opposite: that a CCG ship “directly ...
China Pushes Smaller, Smarter Loans to Africa to Shield From Risks
By Matthew Walsh China's years of splashing cash on big-ticket infrastructure projects in Africa may be over, analysts say, with Beijing seeking to shield itself from risky, indebted partners on the continent as it grapples with a slowing economy at home. ...
Key Pledges on Sidelines of China-Africa Summit
African leaders secured a wide range of commitments to enhance cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining, trade, and energy sectors at China's largest summit in years. Bilateral meetings this week in Beijing on the sidelines of the Africa-China forum have resulted in ...
S. Africa’s Ramaphosa Hails China’s $50 Billion Pledge as ‘Great Boon’ for Continent
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Chinese leader Xi Jinping's pledge on Thursday of $50 billion in financing to Africa over the next three years a "great boon" for the continent. "I am very positively disposed to the amount of money ...
The Sabina Shoal is the New Hot Spot For Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea
After several weeks of relative calm between China and the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, tensions between the two sides flared anew over the weekend near Sabina Shoal — a remote reef located 139km from the Philippines province of Palawan.
Diplomacy and Development: Turkish Media on Xinjiang, Chinese Mediation, and BYD
Ahmet Faruk Işık and Leonardo Bruni On the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of China-Türkiye diplomatic ties, we reflect on these very eventful past two months for Sino-Turkish relations. From June 3 ...
Coal-Free Future: A Diary From China-Indonesia Energy Field Trip
Do you remember when the weather was small talk? It used to be a conversation you would have with a stranger at the bus stop, perhaps about the imminent rain or how unusually hot today is before it became quiet again and your ride arrived.
Westlessness: A New Era Where the West Still Matters, Just Not as Much
Chinese President Xi Jinping has long touted the East's rise and the West's decline, the kind of thinking that's triggered his supporters to fantasize about a post-Western geopolitical order. While it's indisputable that U.S. and European countries, which ...
More Finance, Less Emissions: Chinese Investment in Africa for Low-Carbon Industrialization
By Keyi Tang, Solomon Owusu and Gideon Ndubuisi As African and Chinese leaders prepare for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), it is imperative to consider the environmental implications of China's growing economic presence in Africa. ...
China Urges Citizens to Take ‘Caution’ in Lebanon Travel
China's embassy in Beirut urged citizens to "travel with caution" when visiting Lebanon, warning that they face "higher security risks" as fears of a regional conflict soar. In a statement issued Monday evening Beijing time, the embassy warned citizens the situation ...
China’s Xi Congratulates Iran’s Pezeshkian on Election Win
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday congratulated reformist Masoud Pezeshkian for his win in Iran's presidential runoff election, state media reported. "I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations and am willing to work with the President to lead the ...
Pakistan PM Promises Security in Appeal to Chinese Investors
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in China this week for his first visit after taking the helm in March. His visit will include a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in order to “jointly draw a blueprint” for China-Pakistan relations, according to the Chinese Foreign ...
The Future of Chinese Development Finance in Africa
Chinese development finance in Africa today is a small fraction of what it was a decade ago when Beijing's policy banks provided billions of dollars in loans to countries across the continent. But while those ...
Australia Woos Solomon Islands After Pro-China PM’s Exit
Australia touted on Thursday a "much bigger" relationship with the Solomon Islands, further ramping up efforts to woo a Pacific nation that has lurched closer to China in recent years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Honiara for talks with new ...
China Congratulates India PM Modi on Election Win
China on Wednesday congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his election win, adding it was "ready to work" with its neighbor. Both countries have regularly accused each other of trying to seize territory along their unofficial divide, known as the ...
Palau Confirms ‘Major’ Cyberattack, Points to China
By Hiroshi Hiyama and Katie Forster Palau's President Surangel Whipps on Wednesday said the tiny country, one of Taiwan's few diplomatic allies, had suffered a major cyberattack, pointing the finger at China. The Pacific archipelago ...
China Commits $49 Million for Burkina Faso’s Donsin Airport Solar Power Plant
The Chinese loan also comes at a time when Burkina Faso is seeking to improve its relations with international partners following the 2022 military coup and the ongoing geopolitics between Russia, the U.S., China and France.
Philippines Won’t Use Water Cannon on Chinese Ships: Marcos
President Ferdinand Marcos said Monday the Philippines would not respond in kind to China's deployment of water cannon against its vessels, ruling out the use of "offensive" equipment as Manila asserts its sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea. Beijing has ...
Macron Shows the Way in How a G7 Country Can Cooperate With China
Senior U.S. officials like to offset their frequent criticisms of China by saying they seek to compete with Beijing when necessary and cooperate "in areas of shared interest." While areas of competition are quite evident, finding "shared interests" is proving to ...
French Journalist Surprised to Hear Congo President Says He Prefers Dealing With Russia and China Over the West
French journalist Darius Rochebin seemed genuinely surprised when Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi stated in a recent interview that he and other African leaders prefer to work with Russia and China over Western democracies. Rochebin, one of francophone ...
Chinese-Run Gold Mines in Niger Ordered Shut After Animals Die
Several gold mines in northern Niger managed by a Chinese company were ordered to temporarily close after dozens of animals died from drinking wastewater, local authorities told AFP on Sunday. Herders around the town of Tabelot had pointed to Sahara SARL's ...
Video of Chinese Man Whipping Two African Young People Goes Viral
A horrifying video of a Chinese man brutally whipping two young men appeared online late last week and quickly went viral, racking up more than 30 million views on X and other social media platforms. While the clip was widely seen and ...
Philippines, U.S. Fire at ‘Invasion’ Force in South China Sea War Games
By Faith Brown U.S. and Filipino troops fired missiles and artillery at an imaginary "invasion" force during war games on the Philippines' northern coast Monday, days after their governments objected to China's "dangerous" actions in regional waters.
EV Automakers Get Reprieve in U.S. Tax Credit Rules
The U.S. government gave automakers a reprieve Friday when finalizing electric vehicle tax credit rules by letting cars that contain Chinese graphite qualify for the consumer credits through 2026. The confirmation came as the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service published final ...
Immediately After Confrontations at Sea, Chinese and Philippine Partisans Battle to Shape the Narrative Online
When this current phase of the tensions between China and the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea began last February, the narrative struggle was largely one-sided. The Philippines Coast Guard understood that if it published videos of each ...
China is the Victim of Philippine Aggression in the South China Sea, According to Chinese Media
The Chinese media's framing of Tuesday's collision between two Chinese and Filipino Coast Guard vessels in the South China Sea comprised two main themes: The Philippine vessels illegally entered a restricted zone and the CCG responded in ...
Maldives Signs China Defense Deal as India Prepares Exit
The Maldives has signed a "military assistance" deal with China after ordering Indian troops deployed in the small but strategically-placed archipelago to leave, officials said Tuesday. Some 89 Indian military personnel in the country will be gone by May 10 after ...
Chinese EV Giant BYD May Never Sell a Car in the U.S., but It Will Everywhere Else
The Chinese government accused the United States of engaging in "classic protectionism" in response to Washington's drive to ensure Chinese-made EVs stay out of its market. There's mounting concern among U.S. lawmakers that China is going to use Mexico as a ...
Tensions Between China, Philippines Surge Following South China Sea Confrontations
The bitterly contentious territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea entered a dangerous new phase on Tuesday after a pair of confrontations between maritime forces from both countries led to a minor collision and the injury of four Filipino crewmen. ...
South Africa’s Ruling Elite Bid Farewell to China’s Ambassador
Chinese Ambassador Chen Xiaodong is leaving South Africa after the end of his term of nearly four years in a routine change of the guard. Chen’s tenure was largely unremarkable, especially in light of his predecessor, Lin Songtian, who maintained a ...
Two Chinese Factories Closed Down in Angola for Safety Violations and Mistreatment of Workers
Angolan media reported that a Chinese metals processing factory was shuttered for operating without a license and polluting the water. In a separate case, 131 local workers were rescued from a Chinese plastics factory. The metals processing factory was allegedly not ...
U.S. Tries Again to Secure China-Free Critical Resources Supply From the DR Congo
For the second time in two years, the United States signed an agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a bid to secure reliable supplies of critical resources free of any Chinese entanglements. The U.S. on Monday announced it ...
U.S. Mining Start-Up Makes Huge Copper Discovery in Zambia
A California-based mining start-up, KoBold Metals, announced that it had discovered Zambia's largest copper deposit in a century. KoBold president Josh Goldman said on Monday the company's Mingomba mine in northern Zambia is poised to become one of the world's top ...
Trade Numbers Reveal Africa-China Sticking Points
New Africa-China trade figures released by China’s General Administration of Customs reveal a low-energy trade relationship hemmed in by structural constraints. The Chinese authorities tried to put a happy face on it by emphasizing the 1.5% increase in trade (to a total ...
New Investment Data Shows Belt and Road Initiative Is Rebounding
Chinese investment in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects rose to its highest level since 2018. A new report by Fudan University in China and Griffith University in Australia shows that investment has jumped by 80% since last year. The ...
China Launches Egypt’s Newest Satellite Into Orbit
Egypt's NextSat-1 satellite blasted into space from a seaborne launch pad off the coast of Yangjiang in China's southern Guangdong province on Saturday. The small, microsatellite weighs only 67kgs and was shot into orbit on the back of a Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) ...
What Do Namibian Giraffes Have To Do With the Chinese Economy? Ask Weibo
A post by the U.S. embassy in China about the use of GPS to boost giraffe conservation in Namibia became the unlikely location for a collective freakout about the Chinese economy. By Monday, the post received about 166,000 comments, many bemoaning ...
A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Nangarhar province on February 27, 2026 following overnight cross-border fighting between the two countries. Photo by AIMAL ZAHIR / AFP
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared "open war" against Afghanistan on Friday amid a surge of fighting between the two South Asian neighbors. Pakistan said it's retaliating against Afghanistan for a series of attacks, including a suicide bombing in early February that killed at least 36 people ...
Philippines Seizes Two Spratly Islands in South China Sea War Games
The Philippines is aiming for a "persistent presence" in the South China Sea, a senior military official said Wednesday, as troops conducted war games featuring the mock retaking of an island in the flashpoint waters. China has sought to expand its ...
Indian Border Patrols Resume as Minister Warns of “Other Challenges”
Indian army patrols of key areas along its disputed border have been completed for the first time since a bloody border incident in 2020 resulted in a standoff with China. The army’s 14th corps announced on Monday that they successfully completed patrols of parts of Depsang Ara ...
Shooting Incident Further Raises Security Concerns in Pakistan
Two Chinese nationals were wounded after a private security guard opened fire at a garment factory in Karachi. An unnamed police official reportedly said that the guard hasn’t been arrested and that no motive has yet been ascertained. However, Bloomberg reported ...
Philippines Seeks ‘Persistent Presence’ in Disputed Sea
The Philippines is aiming for a "persistent presence" in the South China Sea, a senior military official said Wednesday, as troops conducted war games featuring the mock retaking of an island in the flashpoint waters. Beijing has sought to expand its ...
Philippines Says Joint Maritime Exercises Rein in China
Joint naval exercises held frequently by the Philippines, United States, and other Western powers are helping rein in "aggressive" Chinese actions in the South China Sea, a Filipino military official said Wednesday. Beijing has sought to expand its presence in the ...
Brazil Walks a Tightrope on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, With One Eye on the G20
By Thiago P.B. Bessimo In Brazil, foreign policy appears to be a delicate dance these days, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration striking a careful balance between competing global powers. Lula’s foreign policy advisor, Celso Amorim—often seen as the real ...