Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
Beijing Says Chinese Among Casualties In Myanmar Factional Fighting
Beijing confirmed there were Chinese casualties in Myanmar as fighting escalates between ethnic militias and the military-ruled government along the border with China. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin did not say whether the Chinese were killed or wounded, though local media in ...
New Report Tracks Major Developments in Chinese Lending
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is evolving rapidly to take on debt, reputational, and ESG challenges that affected its first decade. This is one of the findings of a landmark report from AidData, a research institute at the College of William and ...
Why Biden’s Use of ‘Debt Trap’ Was so Awkward
This weekend, U.S. President Joe Biden made clear that, no matter how often it’s debunked, the “debt trap” will never die. Without recapping the entire debate, the talking point implies that Global South countries work with China because they’re ill-informed or have ...
All it Takes is a Simple Google Search to Confirm the China Debt Trap Meme Isn’t Real
President Joe Biden's latest reference to Chinese "debt traps" is part of a broader pattern among high-level U.S. legislative, government and military officials to level the charge against China's lending practices. It's odd that they continue to make the claim since it's been ...
Biden is Caught Between a Shoal and a Hard Place
U.S. President Joe Biden was unequivocal last month when he reaffirmed his commitment to defend the Philippines from an armed attack by Chinese naval forces in the South China Sea. "Any attack on Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke ...
Southward Bound
In moments of despair, when one spirals about, say, a genocide happening in front of our eyes, it’s sometimes good to read something silly and amusing. For me, this has recently been the spectacle of European and American commentators struggling with the term “Global South.”
Japan Embarks on Unfamiliar Path In Southeast Asia to Contain China
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida kicks off state visits to the Philippines and Malaysia on Friday in a move to project a more forceful image in a region where China is growing increasingly assertive. Kishida will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, address ...
Philippines and China Give Conflicting Accounts of Latest South China Sea Run-In
The Philippines on Tuesday vowed to protect its territory “at all cost” following another confrontation with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea. The two sides gave sharply differing accounts of the encounter, which occurred near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. ...
China’s BYD Takes Pole Position in Thailand, Southeast Asia’s Largest EV Market
Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD has been taking over Thailand by storm. Its most popular model – Atto 3 SUVs now controls 31% of Thailand’s electric vehicle (EV) segment, less than a year after it launched in October 2022. This ...
Tehran Looks at Beijing’s Position in the Israel-Hamas Conflict
In the early weeks of September, a window of opportunity emerged for a possible reversal in Iranian foreign policy. Ayatollah Khamenei indicated a willingness to explore the idea of a new nuclear deal with the United States, while rumors circulated regarding a potential meeting between Iranian and US delegations in ...
China, UAE Calls Emergency UN Security Council Meeting On Gaza
China co-sponsored the call by the United Arab Emirates for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday to seek a binding resolution calling for a humanitarian pause in Gaza. During the meeting, China’s representative at the UN, Zhang Jun, criticized ...
A Billion Dollar Copper/Cobalt Mine is Up For Grabs in the DR Congo, Providing Rare Opening For the U.S. to Get in the Market
For the first time in seven years, the United States can re-enter the all-important critical resources mining sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where China is the dominant actor. The persistently low price of cobalt, a metal used to ...