Day: March 24, 2025
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At UN, Russia and China Criticize U.S. Conduct Toward Venezuela
Russia and China on Tuesday criticized the United States for its military and economic pressure on Venezuela, telling the UN Security Council it was "cowboy behavior" and "intimidation." Venezuela, which requested the emergency council meeting with the backing of Moscow and ...
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Why Honduras’ Presidential Election Matters for China and Taiwan
More than three weeks after elections were held, Honduras still does not have a new president. Nasry Asfura of the conservative National Party leads by a narrow margin, with roughly 43,000 more votes than his closest competitor, Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party. ...
Kuwait Signs $4.1 Billion Deal With China to Build Port
Kuwait has signed a $4.1 billion deal with China to complete construction of a major port, as the oil-rich country seeks to diversify its economy and play a larger role in global trade. The State Audit Bureau, a government oversight body ...
China Launches WTO Complaint Over India Solar, IT Trade Measures
China launched a complaint with the World Trade Organization over Indian measures on trade of solar cells and modules as well as information technology goods, the global trade body said Tuesday. The WTO said that Beijing had requested that it initiate ...
Uganda’s First Zero-Tariff Exports to China Depart, Underscoring Challenge of Low-Value Goods
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni proudly waved his national flag at a send-off ceremony on Friday for 11 tons of dried chili bound for China. This shipment is among the first Ugandan exports to China that will benefit from Beijing's new zero-tariff ...
As EU Courts Africa on Minerals and Development, China’s Presence Remains Unspoken but Central
Although China is not officially on the agenda at the two-day African Union-European Union summit that began on Monday in Angola, Beijing's increasingly expansive role on the continent will be a major undercurrent at the gathering. Most importantly, European leaders are ...
Li Focuses on Major Power Diplomacy, Not Global South, in G20 Bilateral Sessions
It's customary during gatherings like the G20 summit that took place in Johannesburg this weekend that Chinese leaders pack the limited time they have for bilateral meetings in a speed-dating style format. Premier Li Qiang, though, broke with that custom during ...
G20 Communiqué Reflects Both China’s Priorities and Growing Concerns Over Mineral Export Controls
Chinese Premier Li Qiang took full advantage of the U.S. absence at this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg to shape the final communiqué in ways that aligned with Beijing's priorities on multilateralism, debt, and, most notably, critical minerals. Consistent with previous ...
“Mining Slave” Warning in the Central African Republic Sparks Fierce Debate Among Chinese Netizens
The Chinese embassy in the Central African Republic issued one of its strongest warnings to date last week about the extreme dangers facing Chinese nationals involved in gold mining in the Central African Republic (CAR). The warning circulated widely on Chinese news platforms, prompting reactions that expose ...
China’s Solid-State EV Battery Edge, Rivals Ramp Up
China's solid-state EV battery makers are moving faster than many of their global rivals to commercialize the technology, rolling out pilot production lines and high-density prototypes that could shape the next generation of electric vehicles. Their projects already range from ...
China Wins Observer Seat in Andean Bloc, Expanding Its Latin American Diplomacy
In late September 2025, the Andean Community (CAN, for its acronym in Spanish) granted observer status to China, marking Beijing’s latest diplomatic advance into a sub-regional body of Latin America and the Caribbean. Access to the CAN is part of ...
Building Better: What Shapes the Success of Chinese-Supported Power Projects?
After months, sometimes years, of negotiations, feasibility studies, and financial structuring, shovels hit the ground and concrete is poured. But the final outcome of a power project is not just a function of engineering inputs or Chinese execution. It also ...
China Aims to Balance Development of Imports and Exports
China must strive for the "balanced development" of imports and exports, its commerce minister, Wang Wentao, said Friday, a day after meetings on the country's future policy priorities concluded in Beijing. The four days of closed-door discussions began on Monday and ...
Local Assembly & Chinese EVs Powering Kenya’s Electric Vehicle Shift
In Kenya, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) tech is not just about cars but it's about the entire mobility space from scooters to buses to wheelchairs. Just like in many other African countries, EV innovations come ...
Alleged Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Extradited From Cuba to US: Mexico Govt
A Chinese citizen accused of trafficking fentanyl has been extradited from Cuba to the United States, according to the Mexican government, which helped facilitate the transfer. Zhi Dong Zhang -- known as "Brother Wang" -- escaped house arrest in Mexico in ...
Folashadé Soulé on the Evolution of African Agency in China Relations
Ghana’s negotiations for a China–Ghana free trade deal have sparked a fierce national debate. Political leaders are hailing it as a breakthrough for exporters, while manufacturers warn of being swamped by cheaper Chinese imports. At the heart of the discussion lies ...
China–ASEAN Trade Nears $1,05 Trillion as Surplus Hits $278 Billion
China and ASEAN are set to pass the trade threshold in 2025, with nearly $1.05 trillion in goods. That would leave China with a surplus that swells past $278 billion, a big step up from 2024. Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the ...
Trump Tariffs Boosting Nigerian E-Commerce Giant
The CEO of the Nigerian e-commerce company Jumia says the Trump administration’s tariffs are easing its access to Chinese manufacturers. Francis Dufay told Bloomberg that trade barriers in the U.S. are forcing Chinese suppliers to find other markets, which benefits Nigerian consumers. This is strengthening Jumia’s hand ...
Deals Signed at China-South Africa Trade and Investment Conference
The 9th China-South Africa Trade and Investment Promotion Conference opened in Johannesburg on Tuesday. It was marked by the signing of several deals, including an MoU for closer cooperation between the umbrella industry body Business Unity South Africa and ...
Chinese Importers Buy Argentinian Soybeans Amid Global Trade Shift
Chinese agricultural traders booked at least ten orders of Argentinian soybeans following the Milei government announcement on Monday that it will suspend export taxes on key crops. The move comes as Argentina tries to boost its supply of dollars and ease pressure on the peso.
Beijing on the Ballot: How China Shapes Latin America’s Elections
It’s a busy time for politics in Latin America. In the next year, many countries will go to the polls to elect new presidents. Within this context, a clear trend is taking shape: across the region, candidates’ positions on China are ...
China Deepens Mining Ties in Tajikistan to Secure Critical Minerals
By Bruno Kalouaz In a labyrinth of tunnels running beneath 4,000-meter peaks, Tajik miners are scrabbling to secure antimony, one of the metals at the centre of a worldwide race for rare minerals. The silver ...
China’s Biggest Cobalt Miner Faces a Harsh New Reality in DR Congo
The world’s leading exporter of cobalt, China’s CMOC Group, may turn out to be the biggest loser under the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s new export quota policy, which is set to replace the existing moratorium on cobalt shipments beginning in mid-October.
Beijing’s Golden Gambit: China’s Strategic Push into Central Asian Gold Markets
China’s footprint in Central Asia’s mineral wealth is deepening, with gold emerging as a strategic priority alongside critical minerals. While Beijing’s investments in copper, lithium, and rare earths are widely viewed as essential to sustaining its industrial base, its push ...
U.S. Tariffs Hit China’s Exports; Pressure Rises in Southeast Asia
China’s exports to the United States fell 25% between April and August 2025, about $57 billion, yet shipments redirected to Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe helped offset the hit, a recent UNDP study finds. Southeast Asia took the most significant ...
China E-Mobility Weekly Digest: Chinese EVs Insurance Crisis, African Countries Accelerating Adoption And Watu’s E-Bike Boom
This is a free preview of the upcoming Africa EVs Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. China’s rapid expansion of electric vehicle (EV) ownership highlights significant gaps in the auto-insurance sector, offering ...
Chinese Commentary Says New Saudi-Pakistan Pact Could Lead to an “Islamic NATO”
After Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed their joint defense pact, global attention surged, largely due to Pakistan being the sole nuclear-armed Muslim nation. A detailed commentary published on the popular nationalist news site Guancha analyzes the recent Saudi-Pakistan mutual ...
Argentina’s “Foreign Exchange Bet” Could Shake Up the Global Soybean Trade, Chinese Commentator Says
Argentina recently dropped an agriculture bombshell: a temporary, full tax exemption on exports of key grains and oilseeds, including soybeans, wheat, and corn, effective until October 31st. The policy has a built-in “stop-loss” mechanism: it will be terminated immediately if the exports generate $7 billion in ...
China Not Seeking New Special and Differential Treatment in WTO Pacts
China will not be seeking new special and differential treatment -- a privilege granted to developing countries -- in current and future World Trade Organization (WTO) talks, the country's official Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday. Xinhua cited Chinese Premier Li Qiang's ...
Zelensky Says China Could Force Russia to Stop Ukraine War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN Security Council Tuesday that China could pressure Russia to end the war in his country, following a U.S. call for Beijing to stop buying Moscow's oil. China is not a party to the conflict, ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Bessent: U.S. “Happy” With Current Tariffs on China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his government is “very happy” with the current level of tariffs on China. The comments show that the Trump administration would like to maintain stability with Beijing, at least until the current trade truce expires in November. “I think right now the ...
Motives That Matter: The Economic and Strategic Logic Behind China’s Power Sector Engagement in Africa
Why is China building power plants across Sub-Saharan Africa? What exactly motivates its involvement in the sector? What does it hope to gain, and what does this mean for countries on the receiving end of its infrastructure support? Is this simply a gesture of South-South solidarity, ...
China Says ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over Deadly Cambodia-Thailand Border Clashes
China said Thursday it was "deeply concerned" over deadly clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, which mark a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbors. "We are deeply concerned over the current developments (and) hope both sides can ...
U.S.–Philippines Trade Agreement Terms Still Under Negotiation
Negotiations between the United States and the Philippines over the details of a new trade agreement remain ongoing, Philippine officials confirmed Thursday, even as both sides finalize the structure of a 19 percent tariffs on Philippine exports, slightly down from the previously proposed 20 percent.
China Prominent in AFRICOM Testimony
China came up repeatedly in testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services on Tuesday. Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, who is being considered to lead the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), testified that “China is expanding its approach from ...
Pacific Military Exercises Reveal Global South Countries’ Complex Choices
The Philippines joined other Global South countries like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga in the U.S.-led Talisman Sabre military exercises currently taking place in Australia. The exercise, dubbed “the Olympics of war games,” has grown rapidly since its inception in ...
U.S. Agrees Trade Deal with Philippines Amid Geopolitical Tension
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social account that the United States will impose 19% tariffs on the Philippines, slightly reduced from the 20% he threatened earlier. The U.S. will have tariff-free access to the Philippine market.
U.S.–Indonesia Trade Deal Unveiled with China in the Crosshairs
The United States and Indonesia on Tuesday unveiled a joint announcement on a reciprocal trade framework that, though never mentioning China by name, echoes its presence at every turn. While the U.S.-Indonesia trade deal slashes tariffs significantly, it introduces strict supply chain provisions, measures widely viewed ...
Vietnam’s Growth Surges. But Is It Still a Bargain for Global Manufacturing?
Chinese companies are pouring into Vietnam, but rising costs and fragile foundations raise questions about how long the boom can last. Vietnam’s GDP grew 7.52% in the first half of 2025, recording its fastest first-half growth in 15 years. A record ...
A PetroChina Insider Reveals About China’s Tumultuous Energy Gamble in Africa
HEADLINE TRANSLATION: "Thirty Years of PetroChina in Africa: Diplomatic Grace or a Long and Arduous Road Ahead?” In a rare and revealing essay published under a pseudonym, a veteran PetroChina executive, known ...
India Defense Minister Heads to China Summit
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to China this week for talks with his regional counterparts, New Delhi said Tuesday. Ties between the world's two most populous nations have improved in recent months, after hitting a low in 2020 over ...
Trump Says China Can Continue to Buy Iranian Oil
China can continue to buy Iranian oil, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, in what appeared to be relief for Tehran from sanctions that Washington has previously imposed to punish the trade. "China can now continue to purchase Oil from ...
New Zealand Cuts Aid to Cook Islands Over China Deal
New Zealand has paused $18.2 million in development aid to the Cook Islands because of a recent cooperation agreement with China. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who is on an official visit to Beijing this week, said the small state didn’t consult New Zealand about the “breadth and ...
Bangladesh Joins China-Pakistan Cooperation Framework
China solidified its triangular relationship with Pakistan and Bangladesh at a meeting late last week. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with Bangladesh’s Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary for Asia-Pacific Imran Ahmed Siddiqui on the sidelines of the China-South Asia ...
China and India Confirm Warmer Border Relations
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Beijing on Monday. Doval is also Delhi’s special representative for border issues with China, and the meeting focused on continuing the thawing of border relations following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping ...
China Helpless as Middle East War Craters Regional Leverage: Analysts
By Oliver Hotham China has been able to do little more than stand back and watch as war between its key partner Iran and Israel harms its hard-fought leverage in the Middle East, analysts say. ...
China Urges Iran, Israel to Seek ‘Political Resolution’
China urged Iran and Israel on Tuesday to seek a "political resolution" to their conflict as Israel said it had agreed to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a ceasefire. "The Chinese side calls on relevant parties to return to the ...
China’s Xi Urges Singapore Leader to Jointly Resist ‘Hegemony’
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Singapore's prime minister to join the fight against "hegemony" and protectionism in trade as they met in Beijing on Tuesday. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's first official visit to China lasts until Thursday. ...
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
Indonesia is advancing plans for its first nuclear power plants, with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) from China and Russia leading the shortlist. Jakarta is drafting new uranium regulations after confirming deposits in West Kalimantan, as it targets reactor deployment by 2030–2032. ...
China’s Critical Minerals Lead Widens as Rivals Struggle to Keep Pace
Despite growing talk of securing alternative supply chains, China has entrenched itself as the world’s undisputed leader in critical minerals, widening a lead that few anticipated would stretch so far, so fast. From lithium to nickel to rare earths, China’s ...
Philippine Security Agency Says Signs of China Election Interference
By Pam Castro The Philippines' National Security Council (NSC) stated on Thursday that there are indications China is conducting a "state-sponsored" campaign to interfere in next month's midterm elections. The accusation emerged at a Senate ...
China and Kenya Pledge to Upgrade Ties, Oppose Tariffs
China and Kenya agreed on Thursday to boost ties to a new level and oppose trade barriers, following talks between President Xi Jinping and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, in Beijing. Relations between Beijing and Nairobi will be upgraded to a ...
China and Kenya Pledge to Upgrade Ties, Oppose Tariffs
China and Kenya agreed on Thursday to boost ties to a new level and oppose trade barriers, following talks between President Xi Jinping and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, in Beijing. Relations between Beijing and Nairobi will be upgraded to a ...
China Pushes for Global Support in Tariff Fight at UN
China took the unusual step of raising current U.S. trade measures at the United Nations Security Council. Departing from usual convention, China’s envoy to the UN, Fu Cong, repeatedly called out the United States by name, criticizing the “incessant chaos in the international landscape.” ...
Trump to Gut U.S. Agency Funding Africa Infrastructure Projects: Memo
President Donald Trump's administration plans to gut a U.S. agency that has invested billions in infrastructure in Africa, ceding ground in a key area of competition with China, according to a memo. A memo, which was sent to staff and whose ...
Chinese Business in Vietnam Struggles With Trump Tariffs Uncertainty
A year ago Zhang Chundong helped the firm he manages expand into Vietnam, part of a wave of Chinese businesses to choose the booming manufacturing hub since the trade war of U.S. President Donald Trump's first term. Now the company, a ...
Indonesia Eyes Boeing 737 Max Jets Dropped by China Amid U.S. Trade War Pivot
Indonesia is quietly maneuvering to benefit from the fallout of the China-U.S. full-blown trade war. With Beijing halting deliveries of Boeing 737 Max jets, the U.S. aerospace giant is rerouting aircraft originally bound for Chinese airlines, offering a rare opening for countries like Indonesia to step in. ...
China’s Huayou Takes Over $9.8B Indonesia EV Battery Project After LG Exit
China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt is replacing South Korea’s LG Energy Solution in Indonesia’s $9.8 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain project, Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed Wednesday, ensuring the project “continues as planned” after the reshuffle in investors. ...
China Expands Strategic Reserve of Industrial Metals as Indonesia, Philippines Tighten Supply
China is quietly expanding its strategic reserves of key industrial metals, including nickel, just as Indonesia and the Philippines tighten export policies and raise mining royalties, reshaping global supply chains. Beijing’s stockpiling efforts and shifting supply dynamics in Southeast Asia are ...
Chinese Export Surge is Destroying Millions of Jobs Across the Global South
From Mexico to Malaysia, countries across the Global South are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with a massive surge of Chinese exports that are undercutting local producers and prompting mass lay-offs. Indonesia's textile and apparel industry lost a quarter a million ...
China’s CMOC Group Announces Strong Earnings as Market is Split Over DRC’s Cobalt Export Ban
The world's largest cobalt producer, China's CMOC Group, announced record earnings for 2024 with net income jumping 64% to $1.9 billion, well above analyst estimates. These results are particularly impressive given the fact that cobalt prices hovered near record lows last ...
Geely is the Latest Chinese Auto Major to Enter the Vietnamese Market
Geely joins a rapidly growing number of Chinese auto brands targeting Vietnam's growing middle class. The Chinese automaker officially unveiled three new models, both gas and electric-powered, at a launch event in Hanoi last week. The company is also planning to ...
While They May Have Their Differences at Sea, on Land, Vietnamese and Chinese Border Guards Get Along Great
Chinese and Vietnamese border soldiers conducted joint patrols last week along their shared land border near the northern Vietnamese province of Hà Giang. Officers from both armies also met to discuss increased cooperation to prevent illegal crossings, smuggling, and other issues. What's ...
Trump is Helping China, Japan, and South Korea to Look Beyond Historical Rivalries — But They’re Still Working Out the Details
Japan, South Korea, and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean Peninsula was a shared responsibility, according to Seoul’s foreign minister. The three countries' top diplomats met in Tokyo and pledged to increase cooperation, deepen trade ties, and restated their goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. ...
Japan, China in New Spat After Three-Way Talks
Japan and China became embroiled in a new spat on Monday with Tokyo accusing Beijing of misrepresenting its position after high-level weekend talks also involving South Korea. The discussions in Tokyo were billed as a chance to improve historically frosty relations ...
Japan, China, and South Korea Agree to Promote Peace, Cooperation
By Natsuko Fukue and Katie Forster Japan, South Korea and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean peninsula was a shared responsibility, Seoul's foreign minister said, in a meeting of the three countries' top diplomats in which they pledged to ...
China’s Tuna Fishing Fleet Used North Korean Forced Labor, Violating U.N. Sanctions: Report
A fleet of Chinese distant-water tuna fishing fleet allegedly used North Korean forced laborers between 2019 and 2024, violating United Nations sanctions and exposing major loopholes in global seafood supply chains, according to a report released Monday by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
China Conducts Live-Fire Drills at the Gulf of Tonkin After Vietnam Declares New Maritime Baseline
China’s live-fire exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin come just days after Vietnam reinforced its territorial claims with a new baseline declaration, adding fresh friction to an already tense regional maritime landscape. The drills, which Beijing says will run through ...
China to Hand Over Full Control of Kenya Railway at the End of the Year
The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) will take full operating control of the Standard Gauge Railway in December 2025, six months past the original deadline, from a Chinese state-owned firm that currently runs the line. It was always part of the plan ...
Conservative U.S. Senator Tells African Ambassadors Washington is a “More Reliable Friend” Than China
Ted Cruz, the new chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Africa, recently met with a group of African ambassadors to try and reassure them that under the Trump administration, the U.S. will remain a steadfast partner with African countries. ...
Philippine Fishers Struggle as China-Funded Coal Projects Expand
Canopies of old trees, a port, and a solar farm came into view as the air-conditioned bus approached Mariveles town in Bataan province. Within minutes, after traversing a tree-lined, well-paved road, the bus reached its destination: the freeport area of Bataan, ...
Vietnam Slaps Temporary Anti-Dumping Duties on Chinese Steel
Vietnam on Monday announced a temporary anti-dumping duty on hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel imports from China. The Ministry of Industry and Trade announced tariffs ranging from 19.38% to 27.83%, citing the need to protect its domestic steel industry from unfair ...
Japan and Philippines Deepen Defense Partnership Amid Rising Tensions with China
Japan and the Philippines are set to bolster their defense ties. This latest development, announced during a high-profile meeting in Manila on Monday, signals a clear response to mounting regional challenges. On Monday, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said that ...
Indonesia’s Manufacturing Gamble: Turning Trade Wars into Economic Opportunity
The relocation of Chinese factories to Southeast Asia is no longer just speculation; it is happening. Countries like Vietnam have already seen significant increases in Chinese industrial investment as companies seek alternative production bases to navigate shifting global trade dynamics.
French Nuclear-Powered Carrier Makes First Visit to Philippines
Rising tensions in the South China Sea have made freedom of navigation exercises "even more important," France's ambassador to the Philippines said Sunday, as the nuclear-powered Charles De Gaulle made its first port visit to the country. The aircraft carrier strike ...
Beijing Accuses Australia of ‘Hyping’ China Naval Live Fire Drills
Beijing on Sunday said Canberra had "deliberately hyped" recent Chinese naval exercises near the Australian coast and confirmed its forces had used live fire in an incident that rattled Australian policymakers. Authorities in Australia and close ally New Zealand have been ...
The Persistent China-Africa Trade Imbalance — Is It China’s Fault?
Every year, trade figures between China and Africa highlight a significant imbalance. While Chinese authorities celebrate the growing volume of trade – $295 billion in 2024, compared to $282 billion in 2023 – African leaders have legitimate concerns about a trade deficit heavily skewed in China’s ...
Rubio Clashes With Chinese FM Wang Yi Over South China Sea and Taiwan
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over Taiwan on Friday, with Donald Trump's top diplomat denouncing Beijing's "coercive" moves. Rubio, a longtime China hawk, spoke with Wang for the first time by telephone at ...
Vietnam Poised to be Asia-Pacific Fastest Growing Economy in 2026: World Bank
Vietnam is poised to become the fastest-growing economy in the Asia-Pacific region in 2026. The World Bank projects a GDP growth rate of 6.3%, followed by the Philippines at 6% and Indonesia at 5.1%. In its latest ‘Global Economic ...
Philippines Turns to Comic Book to Assert South China Sea Claims
The Philippine government launched a comic book Friday asserting its claims in the disputed South China Sea, amid rising tensions with Beijing over the strategic waterway. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said "The Stories of Teacher Jun", aims to counter China's ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: China Commits to WHO and Paris Climate Accord Amid U.S. Exit
A ship carrying a chemical used to make missile propellant is reportedly traveling from China to Iran, and a second will leave in February. The Iran-flagged Golbon departed the Chinese island of Daishan on Tuesday loaded with enough sodium perchlorate to power 260 mid-range missiles. It is reportedly ...
China’s Exports Boom Goes Well Beyond Electric Vehicles
By Lukas Fiala With most of my attention span occupied by events in the U.S. this week, I sought a brief refuge from Beltway politics by turning to one of the subjects I promised to keep an eye on this year: ...
Does Trump Help or Hurt China’s Diplomacy in Africa?
Donald Trump roared back into power this week, signing dozens of executive orders on his first day that upended large parts of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. The president withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate ...
Experts: What to Expect From China on Energy and Climate Action in 2025?
By Anika Patel Last year was significant for energy and climate developments in China. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions growth hovered close to 2023 levels throughout the year, raising the possibility of China’s CO2 emissions peaking before 2030.
French Aircraft Carrier to Visit the Philippines
France's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is to visit the Philippines next month, the French envoy to Manila said Thursday, signaling a deepening security cooperation between the two countries. Ambassador Marie Fontanel told a maritime security forum that the vessel will ...
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 ...
China Expands Strategic Reserve of Industrial Metals as Indonesia, Philippines Tighten Supply
China is quietly expanding its strategic reserves of key industrial metals, including nickel, just as Indonesia and the Philippines tighten export policies and raise mining royalties, reshaping global supply chains. Beijing’s stockpiling efforts and shifting supply dynamics in Southeast Asia are ...
Chinese Export Surge is Destroying Millions of Jobs Across the Global South
From Mexico to Malaysia, countries across the Global South are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with a massive surge of Chinese exports that are undercutting local producers and prompting mass lay-offs. Indonesia's textile and apparel industry lost a quarter a million ...
China’s CMOC Group Announces Strong Earnings as Market is Split Over DRC’s Cobalt Export Ban
The world's largest cobalt producer, China's CMOC Group, announced record earnings for 2024 with net income jumping 64% to $1.9 billion, well above analyst estimates. These results are particularly impressive given the fact that cobalt prices hovered near record lows last ...
Geely is the Latest Chinese Auto Major to Enter the Vietnamese Market
Geely joins a rapidly growing number of Chinese auto brands targeting Vietnam's growing middle class. The Chinese automaker officially unveiled three new models, both gas and electric-powered, at a launch event in Hanoi last week. The company is also planning to ...
While They May Have Their Differences at Sea, on Land, Vietnamese and Chinese Border Guards Get Along Great
Chinese and Vietnamese border soldiers conducted joint patrols last week along their shared land border near the northern Vietnamese province of Hà Giang. Officers from both armies also met to discuss increased cooperation to prevent illegal crossings, smuggling, and other issues. What's ...
Trump is Helping China, Japan, and South Korea to Look Beyond Historical Rivalries — But They’re Still Working Out the Details
Japan, South Korea, and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean Peninsula was a shared responsibility, according to Seoul’s foreign minister. The three countries' top diplomats met in Tokyo and pledged to increase cooperation, deepen trade ties, and restated their goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. ...
Japan, China in New Spat After Three-Way Talks
Japan and China became embroiled in a new spat on Monday with Tokyo accusing Beijing of misrepresenting its position after high-level weekend talks also involving South Korea. The discussions in Tokyo were billed as a chance to improve historically frosty relations ...
Japan, China, and South Korea Agree to Promote Peace, Cooperation
By Natsuko Fukue and Katie Forster Japan, South Korea and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean peninsula was a shared responsibility, Seoul's foreign minister said, in a meeting of the three countries' top diplomats in which they pledged to ...