Day: August 4, 2025
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UnionPay Signs 11 New Cross-Border Payment Deals in Global Push
China’s UnionPay signed 11 new cross-border payment agreements this week as Beijing’s global payments push continues to gather partners from Southeast Asia to Latin America. The signings were announced in Shanghai. The latest group includes PayNet and Hong Leong Bank ...
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Taliban Announces Arrests Following Attack on Chinese Nationals in Tajikistan
Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced that two suspects have been arrested in connection with an attack on China Road and Bridge Corporation personnel on 30 November. Two people were killed, and two were injured in the attack. Authorities in Tajikistan reportedly ...
Japan Mulling Export of Weapons System to Philippines
Japan is reportedly preparing to export a command and control system to the Philippines. Designed by Mitsubishi Electric, the system would collect and analyze data about ships and planes passing through the area, and issue instructions to deployed military units. The transfer is aimed at improving cooperation ...
China Expanding Surveillance Hardware in South China Sea: Report
China has reportedly expanded its surveillance capacity in the South China Sea. A new report by the U.S. think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, used satellite images to track additions to three main Chinese facilities in the Spratly Islands.
China Buys Nearly Two in Five Cars Sold Worldwide in October
Almost two in every five new cars sold worldwide in October were bought in China, according to China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) Secretary-General Cui Dongshu. CPCA data put global auto sales in October at 8.64 million units, up 4 percent ...
China and LAC at Odds: Blue Diplomacy in the Era of IUU Fishing
In China’s engagement with the Global South, climate diplomacy is one area where Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries play a particularly decisive role. The Global South is set to be disproportionately affected by climate change, yet its governments must negotiate solutions with the world’s largest emitters—China ...
Macron Tells Xi China, France Must Overcome ‘Differences’
French President Emmanuel Macron told Xi Jinping that France and China must overcome their "differences" during their meeting in Beijing on Thursday. "Sometimes there are differences, but it is our responsibility to overcome them for the greater good," Macron told Xi ...
Malaysia Says Search for Long-Missing Flight MH370 to Resume
By Isabelle Leong The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume at the end of December, Malaysia said on Wednesday, more than a decade after the plane disappeared. The nation's Transport Minister, Anthony ...
China Exports Seen Pushing Thai Growth Below 2% in 2026
Thai business leaders on Wednesday said China's efforts to export their overproduction, combined with catastrophic flooding and the impact of U.S. tariffs, risk making the economy expand by only 1.6%–2.0% in 2026. The warning came from the Joint Standing Committee ...
Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
As U.S.–Venezuela ties unravel, a new analysis by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), arguably the country's most influential think tank, claims Moscow is turning Caracas into a key foothold in the Americas: blending military power, energy diplomacy and "anti-hegemonic strategy" to challenge the U.S.
Kenya Breaks Ground for World’s First Geothermal-Powered Fertilizer Plant in Partnership With China’s Kaishan Group
Kenyan President William Ruto led a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for a new $800 million geothermal power facility that will produce 100,000 tons of green ammonia and fertilizer annually. The project, a joint venture between China's Kaishan Group and the state-owned ...
Israeli Military Suspends Use of Popular Chinese SUV Over Spying Concerns
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) reportedly recalled 700 Chinese-made vehicles, mostly the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, used by senior officers in response to concerns that the cameras on the SUVs could be used to spy, according to two separate Israeli media reports.
South Africa Fast Emerging as a Major Hub For Chinese Auto Sales and Manufacturing
Chinese automakers are ramping up their sales outreach and manufacturing operations in South Africa, Africa's dominant auto market that accounts for somewhere between a third to a half of all sales on the continent. State-owned auto giant BAIC announced it will ...
China-Linked Platforms Gain Ground in Southeast Asia, With Vietnam Leading the Next Phase of Growth
Chinese e-commerce companies are solidifying their dominance of Southeast Asia's rapidly expanding online shopping market, accounting for as much as half of business-to-consumer e-commerce, according to a new study by the consulting firm Bain. While Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines ...
China Issues Death Sentences to 5 Members of Myanmar Gang
China sentenced five people to death on Tuesday for their involvement in a violent criminal gang with fraud operations in Myanmar's Kokang region along the border, state media reported. Scam compounds have flourished in Myanmar's lawless borderlands, staffed by foreigners -- ...
China’s Evolution from “Rules Taker” to “Rules Maker” in Development Finance
As China’s economic influence expands, so does its ambition to shape the very system that once constrained it. In this episode of The China-Global South Podcast, Eric speaks with Greg Chin and Kevin Gallagher from Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center about
Indonesia Suspends TikTok License Over Failure to Share Data
Indonesia's government has suspended the operating licence of video-sharing app TikTok because the platform refused to share data about recent anti-government protests, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said on Friday. Indonesia has the second-largest audience on TikTok, owned by ...
Bookings Open for First India–China Direct Flights Since Pandemic Suspension
India and China will resume direct flights between their two countries this month after a five-year suspension, officials said, with bookings opening on Friday. Direct flights between the world's two most populous countries were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 ...
ASEAN Parliamentarians Call for China Meeting on Rohingya
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a body of current and former legislators from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), called for a conference involving the ten member countries of the bloc, Bangladesh, and China to resolve the longstanding problems facing the Rohingya ethnic minority.
Zambia’s Chinese-Built Solar Plant to Keep Mines Running and Shape Its Energy Future
In a country where rolling blackouts last up to 17 hours a day, Zambia’s new $100 million Chisamba solar plant offers both hope and hard choices. The project, built by the Chinese state-run energy giant PowerChina and financed by Zambia’s national utility ZESCO, is designed ...
Unpacking the Indonesian President’s Trip to China
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto made a brief visit to China to join the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, even as protests simmered at home. The tightly scheduled visit was seen as a way of projecting stability abroad and reconnecting with ...
China’s Xi at Center of World Stage After Days of High-Level Hobnobbing
By Rebecca Bailey Two blockbuster events in China this week were a successful exposition of President Xi Jinping's vision of a new world order -- one that puts him and his country firmly at its center while sidelining his rival, the ...
China’s Small State Diplomacy Strategy in Latin America
While most of the world's attention at this week's Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin was on Xi Jinping's meetings with leaders from the big powers, namely India and Russia, the Chinese President also spent considerable time with heads of state ...
Indonesia’s Prabowo, in China’s Spotlight, Ignores Nation’s Tumult for Global Showmanship
On Wednesday morning in Beijing, as the People’s Liberation Army marched in lockstep through Tiananmen Square, one foreign leader stood conspicuously close to the Chinese and Russian presidents. Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, clad in a tailored gray suit, sat shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin and Xi ...
Philippines’ Marcos in India as Navies Hold Joint Drills
Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos arrived in India on Monday on a visit aimed at strengthening defence and strategic ties between nations as they navigate tensions with China across the Asia-Pacific. The five-day visit follows the Philippines' acquisition of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise ...
Zambian Documentary Slams Chinese Companies’ Environmental Record; Embassy Responds, Accuses Producers of “Hidden Motive”
The Chinese embassy in Zambia denounced an hour-long documentary program made by the independent national daily newspaper News Diggers that detailed extensive environmental and labor violations committed by Chinese mining companies operating in the country.
New Video Surfaces of Congolese Soldiers Beating Miners at the Behest of Chinese Nationals
The Congolese human rights NGO Justicia Asbl released a shocking video on Sunday that was purportedly recorded on July 23rd, showing Congolese FARDC soldiers beating a trio of local miners with their hands bound at the behest of Chinese nationals. The incident ...
Pakistan Takes Delivery of Chinese Z-10ME Attack Helicopters
The Pakistani Army inducted a new fleet of advanced Chinese-made attack helicopters on Saturday, marking the first time the Z-10MEs have been put to use by a foreign military. The Z-10ME is similar to the U.S.-made Apache AH-64 attack helicopter with ...
Coffee Exporters Look to China as U.S. Tariffs Redraw Trade Maps
It's only been a few days since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a slew of new tariffs on the rest of the world, but already there are indications merchants in Asia, Africa, and the Americas are moving quickly to configure their trade flows to circumvent the United ...
Australian Police Charge Chinese National With ‘Foreign Interference’
Australian police said Monday they had charged a Chinese national with "reckless foreign interference", accusing the woman of spying on a local Buddhist group for Beijing. Assistant police commissioner Stephen Nutt said the woman had been covertly gathering information on the ...
Philippine, Indian Navies Begin First Joint South China Sea Patrols
Indian Navy warships have begun patrolling areas of the disputed South China Sea with their Philippine counterparts for the first time, Manila's military said Monday, as President Ferdinand Marcos departed for a state visit to New Delhi. The two-day sail, which ...
Southeast Asia Digest: Caught Between U.S. Tariff and China Shadow
This is a free preview of the upcoming Southeast Asia Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. This week in Tariff Negotiations with the U.S.:
Understanding China’s Role in Africa’s Power Sector: A New Series from The China-Global South Project
China is helping build nearly one in every five power plants operating in Sub-Saharan Africa today, yet most people know very little about how these projects come together. As electricity demand rises and traditional development partners pull back, China’s influence is becoming even more significant.
Rio to Host BRICS Summit Wary of Trump
A summit of BRICS nations will convene in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday and Monday, with members hoping to weigh in on global crises while tiptoeing around U.S. President Donald Trump's policies. The city, with beefed-up security, will play host to ...
China Says No Ambition to Build South Pacific Military Base
China's embassy in Fiji has insisted Beijing is not seeking a military base in the South Pacific, saying aid pledged to developing island nations came with "no political strings attached". Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka warned this week against any Chinese ...
South American Bloc Looks to Asia, Europe in Face of Trump Trade War
By Martin Raschinsky and Tomas Viola South America's Mercosur bloc sought Thursday to expand its markets in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war, with Brazil calling for closer ties with dynamic Asian economies.
New Corridor, New Strategy: China’s Bi-Oceanic Railway and Latin America’s Trade Route Battleground
A series of geopolitical pressures is forcing China to rethink its approach to Latin America’s strategic waterways. Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office, Washington has stepped up efforts to curtail Chinese influence in the Panama Canal, a vital artery for global trade and military logistics. ...
After Trump Cut Funding for Energy Transitions Overseas, Could China Step In?
By Zhou Xiaozhu On the day he became president again, Donald Trump signed an executive order to take the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. That was followed by a termination of U.S. funding pledged during the Biden ...
U.S. Demands That Vietnam Cut Trade with China
The United States reportedly sent a “long” list of “tough” requests to Vietnamese trade negotiators as a prerequisite for a trade deal. The demands include reducing its imports of Chinese-made industrial components and reshaping its supply chains to exclude China. The ...
Chinese Lithium Investors in Zimbabwe Raise Critical Concerns for Policymakers
Since 2021, Zimbabwe’s lithium sector has attracted over $1.2 billion in investments, generating more than 5,000 jobs and positioning the country as a key player in the global lithium value chain. Chinese lithium mining giants, including Bikita Minerals, Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), Sabi Star, and Kamativi Mining ...
A Chinese Scholar Uncovers Cuba’s Chinese Migrant Past
When the U.S. Prohibition Act (1920–1933) banned alcohol, it unexpectedly turned Cuba into a vice paradise—and reshaped the destiny of Chinese migrants fleeing America’s anti-Chinese racism. As thirsty Americans flooded Havana’s bars and casinos, the island’s economy boomed. Meanwhile, the Chinese ...
Chinese Community Alarmed as Ex-Worker Kills Boss in Zambia – Latest in Disturbing Trend
In a crime that exposes the deadly risks of insider betrayal, Chinese farm owner Zhai Jianfeng was killed on May 29 in a meticulously planned robbery carried out, in part, by his own current and former employees, African Chinese Weekly reported. The attack, which unfolded at ...
Kenya or Tanzania? Chinese Investors in Africa Face a Clear Choice
For Chinese entrepreneurs eyeing East Africa, one question looms large: Tanzania or Kenya? Longtime Africa WeChat commentator Xiao Nie (小聂说事儿), who spent 3 years in Tanzania and 11 years in Kenya, cuts through the debate with a vivid analogy: “Tanzania is East Africa’s factory floor; Kenya ...
Chinese President to Visit Russia on May 7-10: Kremlin
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia on May 7-10 and join his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at commemorations of the Allied victory against Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said on Sunday. The visit coincides with heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington ...
What Canada Can Learn From China on Effectively Engaging With Africa
By Isaac Odoom Canada’s recent launch of a new Africa Strategy comes at a moment of profound geopolitical change and growing shifts in global development co-operation. As the Western-led order and development model face increasing scrutiny, ...
Is It Possible to Work With China for Development?
By You Xiaoying Some 10,000 kilometers from the rolling tea fields of eastern China, tea farmers in Kenya are fighting climate change using Chinese know-how. From planting trees to organically fertilising, tea plantations in the ...
Is It Possible to Work With China for Development?
By You Xiaoying Some 10,000 kilometers from the rolling tea fields of eastern China, tea farmers in Kenya are fighting climate change using Chinese know-how. From planting trees to organically fertilising, tea plantations in the ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Afreximbank Taps China Market with RMB-Denominated Bond
The Chinese authorities are reportedly stopping Chinese companies from investing in the United States. Bloomberg reports that China’s key economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, has halted registration and approval processes for firms that want to invest in the U.S. It is unclear how long ...
Power Plays: China’s Changing Energy Financing in Africa
By Wu Tianyi Over the past two decades, Chinese financing in Africa has boomed and waned and undergone cycles of change. Initially dominated by lending from state-owned policy banks for large infrastructure and energy projects, notably in coal and hydropower, the ...
In China’s Wake, India Tries a Cleaner, Fairer Mineral Path in Africa
In January, the Indian government published a new critical minerals strategy that details how the country aims to bolster supply chains necessary for its green energy transition. While the report underscores the importance of developing domestic supplies of lithium and other ...
The New “Washington Dissensus” & the Uncertain Future of Global Economic Leadership
By Lukas Fiala With markets reeling from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff bazooka, economists around the world are seemingly waking up to the new reality of the "Washington Dissensus." America rejects the very idea of the world it has created, its ...
China Arrests Three Filipinos Suspected of Spying
China on Thursday said it had "destroyed" an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country. The announcement comes as the two countries continue to confront each other over disputed territory in the ...
Chinese Lessons in Saudi Schools Show Growing Ties
By Haitham El-Tabei With a map of China on the wall behind him, 14-year-old Yasser al-Shaalan studied the names of professions in a Chinese textbook, one of thousands of Saudi children now learning the language at school.
Why South America’s Trade With China Could Blunt Trump’s Tariff Edge
A new investigation by Reuters shows that the Trump administration's threat of tariffs is mostly successful with a small number of Latin American countries mainly exporting to the U.S., like Mexico and Colombia. In contrast, most South American exports to the ...
China’s Retaliation to U.S. Tariffs Could Boost Trade with Global South
U.S. tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada went into effect right after midnight on Tuesday. Citing a lack of action on restricting precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, the U.S. added 10% on top of an already-imposed 10% tariff on Chinese imports, while those from ...
China-Laos Railway Fuels Trade and Record Travel Boom in Early 2025 Amid Scrutiny
Since its launch on December 3, 2021, the China-Laos Railway has handled over 48.6 million passenger trips and 54 million tons of goods as of February 2025. The number is seen as strengthening regional trade and economic integration under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), amid ...
The End of the West and the Future of China
U.S. President Donald Trump's decision this week to pause military funding for Ukraine and to align his government with Russia further widens the cleavage between the United States and Europe — effectively breaking what has long been known as "the West." ...
Trade and Growth on Agenda for Key China Meeting
By Isabel Kua and Peter Catterall China's largest political event of the year begins in Beijing on Tuesday, as U.S. tariffs cast a cloud over closed-door meetings involving thousands of delegates from across the country. ...
Philippine Ambassador to U.S. ‘Confident’ Trump-Era Ties Will Stay Strong
The Philippines' ambassador to Washington said on Monday he was "confident" the two countries' military ties would remain strong under the Donald Trump administration, while also acknowledging the unravelling of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. China and the Philippines have been involved in ...
Singapore Probes Final Destination of Possible Nvidia Chip Servers
Servers that may contain AI-powering Nvidia chips shipped from the United States to Singapore ended up in Malaysia, but their actual final destination remains a mystery, the city-state's interior minister said Monday. The United States is cracking down on exports of ...
Thailand Approves 2nd Phase of High-Speed Rail, Connecting Bangkok to China by 2030
Thailand’s long-anticipated high-speed rail project to China is moving forward. On Tuesday, the Thai cabinet formally approved the second phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail line, a 357-kilometer stretch from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, with an investment of approximately $10 billion, equivalent to 340 billion ...
China Hits Back: Tariffs on U.S. Goods and a Probe into Google Signal Escalating Trade Tensions
China has unveiled a fresh wave of retaliatory measures against the United States on Tuesday, setting the stage for renewed trade tensions. Yet, analysts suggest that Beijing's "restrained" approach could indicate a willingness to negotiate rather than escalate into a full-blown trade war.
Panama Lawsuit Requests Axing Hong Kong Firm’s Canal Concession
Two Panamanian lawyers filed a complaint Monday to cancel the concession of a Hong Kong-based company for operating two ports on the Panama Canal, following U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to seize the vital waterway. A subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings ...
Rubio in Costa Rica as He Seeks to Curb China Influence
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived Tuesday in Costa Rica as he presses to curb Chinese influence in Latin America on his first foreign trip. Rubio, a longtime hawk on China, began his trip in Panama, where he reported headway ...
Counterterrorism and Economy to Dominate Pakistani President’s Visit to China
Pakistan’s President, Asif Ali Zardari, is embarking on a five-day visit to China, where he will meet with Chinese leaders. Expanding Chinese security presence in Pakistan will reportedly be on the agenda. China’s heavy investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has made the key BRI project a ...
Malaysia Seeks Broader Economic Diversification Amid U.S.-China Trade and Tariff Tensions
As Malaysia strengthens its economic engagement with China, it faces increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signaled on Tuesday that Malaysia will not be caught in a binary trade war but ...
Rubio Says Panama Addressing U.S. Concerns on Canal After Trump Threats
By Shaun Tandon U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday voiced optimism that Panama would address concerns over Chinese influence in the Panama Canal, bringing down the tone after President Donald Trump's threats to seize the vital waterway.
China Says ‘Determined’ To Open Up to World in 2025
China is "determined" to continue opening up its economy to the world in 2025, a top economic planning official said Friday, as Beijing steels itself for potential trade turmoil when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The world's second-largest economy has ...
India to Monitor China’s Mega Tibet Dam Plan
India said Friday it had raised concerns with China about a planned mega hydropower dam construction upstream in Tibet, saying it will "monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests." If built, the dam would dwarf the record-breaking Three Gorges ...
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’ Marcos in India as Navies Hold Joint Drills
Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos arrived in India on Monday on a visit aimed at strengthening defence and strategic ties between nations as they navigate tensions with China across the Asia-Pacific. The five-day visit follows the Philippines' acquisition of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise ...
Zambian Documentary Slams Chinese Companies’ Environmental Record; Embassy Responds, Accuses Producers of “Hidden Motive”
The Chinese embassy in Zambia denounced an hour-long documentary program made by the independent national daily newspaper News Diggers that detailed extensive environmental and labor violations committed by Chinese mining companies operating in the country.
New Video Surfaces of Congolese Soldiers Beating Miners at the Behest of Chinese Nationals
The Congolese human rights NGO Justicia Asbl released a shocking video on Sunday that was purportedly recorded on July 23rd, showing Congolese FARDC soldiers beating a trio of local miners with their hands bound at the behest of Chinese nationals. The incident ...
Pakistan Takes Delivery of Chinese Z-10ME Attack Helicopters
The Pakistani Army inducted a new fleet of advanced Chinese-made attack helicopters on Saturday, marking the first time the Z-10MEs have been put to use by a foreign military. The Z-10ME is similar to the U.S.-made Apache AH-64 attack helicopter with ...
Coffee Exporters Look to China as U.S. Tariffs Redraw Trade Maps
It's only been a few days since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a slew of new tariffs on the rest of the world, but already there are indications merchants in Asia, Africa, and the Americas are moving quickly to configure their trade flows to circumvent the United ...
Australian Police Charge Chinese National With ‘Foreign Interference’
Australian police said Monday they had charged a Chinese national with "reckless foreign interference", accusing the woman of spying on a local Buddhist group for Beijing. Assistant police commissioner Stephen Nutt said the woman had been covertly gathering information on the ...
Philippine, Indian Navies Begin First Joint South China Sea Patrols
Indian Navy warships have begun patrolling areas of the disputed South China Sea with their Philippine counterparts for the first time, Manila's military said Monday, as President Ferdinand Marcos departed for a state visit to New Delhi. The two-day sail, which ...