Month: September 2025
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CAEXPO Wrap: China Pitches an Operating System for ASEAN Trade
China wrapped CAEXPO in Nanning with a pitch that goes beyond product sales. The expo presented AI-ready factory “cells,” a low-speed autonomous shuttle, and a Beibu Gulf satellite. It also showcases vocational pipelines and an ACFTA 3.0 upgrade. The offer ...
China Leads Vietnam’s Electronics Component Imports, $33.5 Billion in 2025
China was the largest supplier of computers, electronic products, and components to Vietnam in January–August. Imports from China reached $33.5 billion, placing it ahead of South Korea at $24.1 billion, Taiwan at nearly $15 billion, and Japan at $5.4 billion. ...
China and the U.S. Put Malaysia’s ASEAN-First Neutrality to the Test
China is Malaysia’s largest trading partner, and the United States is its biggest export market. Kuala Lumpur says it will keep both close. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz calls the approach “pragmatic neutrality,”. ...
China–ASEAN to Align AI Data, Launch Safety Network in 2026
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence AI. The commitment was announced at a ministerial roundtable held during the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo last Friday. They proposed an “AI+” action plan and a ...
China–U.S. Rivalry: Singapore FM on ASEAN Pragmatic Non-Alignment
Singapore’s foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, at a public forum moderated on Friday, said Southeast Asia is refusing a China–U.S. binary choice between China and the United States. Balakhrisnan thinks Southeast Asia is pivoting to integration, keeping economies open to ...
The Grand Dream: China’s Stakes in Nicaragua’s Canal
As China and the United States vie for influence and access in Latin America, the Panama Canal has reemerged as a strategic chokepoint. Washington is moving to limit Beijing’s access while China scrambles for other options. Sensing an opening, Managua has revived its long-dormant dream of a ...
Chinese Copper Miner and Processor Faces Multiple Environmental Lawsuits From Zambian Communities
Lawyers representing communities and civil society groups in Zambia have opened settlement talks with Sino-Metals, a Chinese-owned copper mining and processing company, over one of the country’s worst toxic spills, raising the possibility of an out-of-court resolution in multiple cases that could reshape corporate accountability in Africa. ...
Africa-Asia Relations Beyond China
Africa was especially hard hit by Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, which ended years of duty-free access to the U.S. and triggered a rush to find new markets. China's announcement that it will remove all tariffs on African imports undoubtedly provides ...
An Unreliable Friend: Arab Perspectives on China After the Twelve-Day War
Francesco Scala and Leonardo Bruni This edition of the ChinaMed Observer builds upon our ongoing research analyzing local, regional, and Chinese perspectives on China’s role in the Middle East in the aftermath of the “Twelve-Day War” between Israel and Iran. Whereas ...
Recapping the Fundamentals: Key Lessons on Chinese Financing for Power Projects
The financing may be Chinese, the builders Chinese too, but the consequences are overwhelmingly those of the host state. Decisions, often made in boardrooms thousands of kilometers away, can shape the development trajectory of African countries for decades. That is why understanding how Chinese infrastructure projects are ...
China Warns Papua New Guinea Over Australian Defense Deal
China cautioned Papua New Guinea against "undermining" its interests and sovereignty in signing a mutual defense pact with Australia widely seen as a counter to Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific. Australia and Papua New Guinea this week agreed on the ...
Q&A: Reading China’s Military Parade and Southeast Asia’s Optics Right
In Asia’s high-context politics, the stage often speaks as loudly as the words. Welcoming ceremonies, traditional dances, marathon speeches, China's military parade, and photo ops are never just pomp. They are signals to multiple audiences. At home, they convey respect and access.