Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
China, Pakistan, and the Recurring Question of Alliances
By Lukas Fiala One of the topics I set out to cover more closely this year was China’s evolving role in international security, especially considering Beijing’s Global Security Initiative. Two events over the last week have given me yet another excuse ...
How Does the Pause in the U.S.-China Trade War Affect the Global South?
Stock markets soared this week following the announcement of a 90-day lowering of tariffs between the United States and China. Amid the momentary euphoria, many are trying to map the trade landscape emerging from the agreement. As Zongyuan Zoe Liu ...
China’s Global Power Plant Investment is Shifting—But Will the Scale Follow?
By Diego Morro In a recent virtual meeting with world leaders on Climate and the Just Transition, Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated that China will not slow its climate efforts or reduce support for international cooperation. This builds on his ...
Colombia Joins Belt and Road Initiative as China Courts Latin America
By Peter Catterall Colombia formally agreed on Wednesday to join China's vast Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, as Beijing draws Latin America closer in a bid to counter the United States. Latin America has emerged ...
Ignoring China Won’t Help African Countries Move up the Critical Mineral Value Chain
Last week, African mining ministers and global leaders gathered in Paris to discuss the continent’s role in the future of critical minerals and responsible sourcing. At the OECD’s High-Level Dialogue on Africa, one message came through loud and clear: Africa must move beyond simply exporting raw ...
ASEAN Faces a Tougher Balancing Act in U.S. and China Trade Relations
By Kristina Fong Siew Leng The first 100 days of the Trump 2.0 presidency has been a rocky ride. On the trade front, countries continue to navigate trade negotiations with the U.S. in the current 90-day pause granted on the imposition ...
China’s “DeepSeek Moment” for Military Tech Arrived in the Skies Over Kashmir
There was a palpable sense of euphoria in China this weekend as Chinese-made J-10C and JF-17 fighter jets saw combat for the first time over the disputed Kashmir region — and performed impressively. The J-10C’s successful use of electronic jamming and ...
Navigating Our Endless Now
Foreign policy writers are in danger of running out of cliches. How often can one reuse the old Lenin line of “weeks where decades happen”? But here we are: in one week, India and Pakistan crept closer to full war, ...
China’s Expanding Copper Influence Forces Strategic Calculations in the Global South
The global copper market is at a pivotal moment, and China sits squarely at its core. In recent weeks, copper prices have slid sharply, rattling commodity markets and dragging down the share prices of major copper mining companies across the globe. This downturn reflects growing investors' ...
Sandy Cay Flag Standoff: A Brewing Firestorm in the South China Sea — Here’s Why
A flag war unfolded on a disputed sandbank in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. No shots were fired, but the symbolism was deafening. Last week, four Chinese coast guard officials conducted maritime control and planted flags ...
U.S. Influence Tested as Colombia Embraces China’s BRI
Colombia’s move to join the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marks a significant shift in the strategic competition between China and the United States in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). At a moment when the U.S. is seeking to counter China’s influence in the region, ...
Model Meets Reality: The Africa–China Export Forecast That Delivered
In an era where economic uncertainty often renders forecasts obsolete before they materialize, Africa’s export performance to China between 2022 and 2026 stands out as a compelling exception. Projections that I made together with Professor Reon Matemane, an associate professor at the University of Pretoria, in ...