Month: October 2025
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Inside the Bid: How Chinese Power Projects Are Procured in Africa
Behind every power plant is a crucial decision: who gets to build it, and how. Whether a project is delivered on time and on budget often hinges on how it was procured. Was it awarded through a competitive bidding process or negotiated behind closed doors? Were contractors ...
China Connects Alipay, WeChat to Indonesia’s QR Code QRIS
China’s central bank will enable Indonesia’s QR code standard, QRIS, to link with Alipay and WeChat Pay, a new step in an ongoing pilot with Bank Indonesia (BI). The link would let Indonesians scan the same QR codes to pay at ...
Zambia’s Lawsuit Against Sino-Metal Sparks Chinese Social Media Storm
International media particularly in the Western countries but also in South Africa and India extensively covered the Sino-Metals Leach tailings disaster that happened back in February, amplifying its impact on lives of Zambian communities and the environment. However, Chinese media maintained a conspicuous silence for ...
South Africa Solar Boom Signals Rebellion Against “Malfunctioning Energy Systems”
In many African countries, the future of electricity generation lies in renewables, and South Africa, where over 85% of the energy comes from coal-fired power plants, is already undergoing a shift. Last year, South Africa imported Chinese ...
China Tops Indonesia Trade, August Surplus Highest Since 2022
China was Indonesia’s top buyer and top supplier as Indonesia’s goods trade surplus reached $5.49 billion in August. The number is the highest since November 2022, according to the Indonesian statistics agency. Indonesia recorded a $29.14 billion trade surplus ...
Colombian President Fires Beijing Embassy Staff for “Sabotaging” China Outreach
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered staff at his country’s embassy in Beijing to be removed, accusing them of undermining outreach efforts to China. “There is a foreign ministry that feels ashamed of engaging with China and sabotages relations. All those ...
Albanese “Concerned” About BHP Iron Ore Halt
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is “concerned” about reports that China has halted iron ore orders from the Australian mining giant BHP. Shipments have reportedly been paused amid price disputes between BHP and China Mineral Resources Group, a Chinese state entity overseeing iron ore ...
Eye-Rolling Through the Apocalypse
November’s COP30 gathering in Belém, Brazil, marks three decades since COP1 in Berlin in 1995, and raises a sobering reminder of how deep we’ve sunk into a climate morass of our own making amid non-stop warnings. The evacuation of millions of people and the deaths ...
China-Central Asia Weekly News: Multi-Sector Integration and Strategic Depth
This is a free preview of the upcoming Critical Minerals Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in 2026. China's engagement with Central Asia is shifting toward a more comprehensive economic integration model that combines traditional infrastructure development ...
China Sends Pointed Message with South China Sea Flag-Raising
The Chinese Coast Guard held a flag-raising ceremony to mark China’s National Day off the Scarborough Shoal, a zone in the South China Sea also claimed by the Philippines. The ceremony, which was broadcast on the state TV channel CCTV and social media, seemed designed to ...
China–Malaysia in Rare Earths Refinery Talks, With Tech Transfer
China and Malaysia are in early talks on a rare-earth processing project. The potential collaboration could involve Chinese state-linked firms partnering with Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional to build a refinery in Malaysia, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Beijing Pushes Palm Oil, Rubber Supply Guarantees from Jakarta
China asked Indonesia to guarantee long-term supplies of crude palm oil (CPO), natural rubber, and edible bird’s nest during bilateral farm talks in Jakarta on Tuesday, Indonesia’s vice minister of agriculture, Sudaryono, said. “Indonesia is open to cooperation in this ...