Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
Without More Transparency, FOCAC Could Become Irrelevant
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit gets underway in Beijing soon, but you'd hardly know that this was once a really big deal. The vibe this year is noticeably different than in the run-up to past FOCACs, when African think tanks released working papers, scholars in ...
Everything You Need To Know About FOCAC 2024
With the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) now concluded, key themes and outcomes from the meeting have come into focus. While China and Africa remain aligned on many critical issues, the balance between their converging and diverging interests shaped the results of FOCAC 2024 in ...
Learning Through Lending: China-Africa Economic Engagement through FOCACs Past and Present
By Lucas Engel As the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) approaches, it is warranted to look back at the trajectory of China-African economic engagement and assess its current state. For China, FOCAC, ...
Chinese Cars Make Inroads in Latin America
By Paulina Abramovich with AFP offices in Latin America Chilean truck driver Claudio Perez was dubious about his first purchase of a Chinese-made family car two years ago. But the price and quick delivery time convinced him, and now he is ...
FOCAC and China’s Future Role in Africa’s Security Landscape
By Lukas Fiala With the next Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) only a few short weeks away, we’ve all been busy reading the tea leaves of what the summit might mean for the increasingly complex and multifaceted Africa-China relationship. One area ...
Could the Yuan Replace the Dollar in Saudi Arabia’s Oil Sales to China? Probably Not, But it’s Possible, Says S&P
It wasn't that long ago it would be inconceivable to suggest that Saudi Arabia would switch from the U.S. dollar to the Chinese yuan to settle oil transactions with Chinese buyers. While most analysts say that day is still a long way's off, it's not as far ...
FOCAC Should Focus on Promoting Green Energy Projects: Standard Bank
Energy issues are widely expected to be very high on the agenda at the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit that gets underway on September 4th in Beijing. Most African countries are facing chronic power shortages that are increasingly exacerbated by ...
Empowering Africa: How Host States Can Influence Chinese-Supported Power Projects
By Naa Adjekai Adjei Over the past decade, Chinese investments have significantly bolstered Africa's infrastructure landscape. However, prevailing narratives have often emphasized China's influence, overshadowing the critical role of African host states in determining ...
China Isn’t the Solution to Africa’s Industrialization Dilemma
There is going to be a lot of talk at the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit that will take place in Beijing in early September about the need for African countries to move up the value supply chain. African ...
The China-Indonesia 2+2 Dialogue: A Diplomatic Milestone or a New Set of Challenges?
On August 13, 2024, Jakarta played host to a pivotal moment in international diplomacy with the inaugural Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Joint Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2 SOM) between Indonesia and China. This meeting, which sets the stage for a more comprehensive ministerial-level dialogue ...
Tit-for-Tat Diplomacy: Will Brazil Join China’s Belt and Road Initiative?
By Alvaro Mendez and Chris Alden Thursday marked the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Brasília and Beijing, which began on 15 August 1974, when Brazil became the tenth country in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to ...
China’s Foreign Minister to Visit Myanmar and Thailand Amid Growing Tensions
Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, will visit Myanmar and Thailand this week, as tensions in the subregion mount. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced that the August 14-17 visit will include Wang co-chairing the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Thailand. He will also meet informally with ...