Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
Rethinking China’s Participation in African Agricultural Development in the Post-COVID-19 Era
This article was co-authored by Duncan Chando, a Nairobi-based international development consultant Africa was already facing food insecurity and agricultural underdevelopment prior to COVID-19. In 2018 studies showed that Sub-Saharan Africa was the world’s most food-insecure region, hosting 239 million ...
China’s Surprisingly Durable Reputation in Africa
Donald Trump famously said that he could "stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not "lose any voters." Despite all that's happened over the past 3.5 years of his presidency, the president's poll numbers have remained largely intact, proving that statement to be ...
Learning From South Sudan
We recently featured an article in our daily newsletter by South China Morning Post correspondent Jevans Nyabiage about the rapid decline of Africa's oil sales to China. In 2007, China bought about a third of its oil from African countries. Today, this share has shrunk to about ...
Is Debt-for-Equity Chinese for “Debt Trap?”
Tucked away in a remote corner of Southeast Asia, an important experiment is now underway that could have profound implications for how China manages its vast loan portfolio in Africa and in other developing regions. Last week, Laos's state-owned electric power ...
The Joy and Pain of Developing Kenya’s Specialty Tea Production
Tea farmers in Kenya’s central highlands say Chinese interest in their tea is improving their income, but the journey for Chinese tea enthusiast and founder of the Chinya Tea Development Company Lewis Gao has not been easy. He came to Kenya ...
Africa to G20 Members: Pay a Little Now or Pay a Lot Later
When things fall apart no one will be able to say they didn't see it coming. Last year, when we spoke with Ghananian conservationist Kofi Agbogah, executive director of the NGO Hεn Mpoano, for the ...
The New Era of High-Risk, High-Reward “Vaccine Diplomacy” is Here
Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his oft-stated promise that developing countries, specifically those in Africa, will receive priority access to a Chinese-produced COVID-19 vaccine when it's available for distribution. President Xi made the comments during a phone call yesterday with Morocco's ...
There’s a Complex Mix of Historical Anxiety Wrapped Into Nigerians’ Concerns Over Chinese Loans
To get a sense of just how widespread the concern is in Nigeria over Chinese loans, head over to the Twitter page of popular comedian and actor Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, where since last Thursday he's pinned a semi-serious ...
Africa Isn’t Alone Trying to Find a Space in Between the U.S. and China
Last week's announcement by the U.S. government that it will add 24 more Chinese companies to its so-called entities list was probably met with dread and concern in capitals throughout the global south. After all, these companies, most notably China Communications ...
Is Paying for Fertilizer the Answer To Advancing African Agribusiness? Lessons From China
Agriculture is an important piece of Africa’s development puzzle. Resource-wise, the continent is blessed with 60% of the world’s arable land, yet only 17% of the world population. Dependency-wise, Africa is largely sustained by agriculture, with two-thirds of the population being employed within the ...
The Political Ramifications of China’s Reduced Appetite for African Oil
News that two of China's largest oil companies, Sinopec and CNPC, are going to scale down their presence in South Sudan provides the latest evidence of China's waning appetite for African oil. This isn't a new phenomenon. In fact, ...
China’s Ejiao Producers Are on a Quest for Africa’s Donkeys
In Africa it’s said that “if you don't have a donkey you become a donkey yourself”. A proverb that is becoming more relevant as China’s ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) producers look to the Continent for resources. Ejiao is a glue derived from ...