Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
Why Felix Tshisekedi’s Visit to Beijing is the Weightiest Trip of His Career
Felix Tshisekedi arrives in China at a politically charged moment at home. 2023 is an election year, he faces a large opposition that not only brings together his prominent opponent Martin Fayulu, but also the former governor of Katanga (and Tshisekedi’s former political ally) Moise Katumbi.
Why Many Indonesians Think Jokowi Fumbled Chinese High-Speed Rail Diplomacy, Even As It Nears Completion
The China-backed high-speed train that runs from Jakarta to Bandung, two main cities in Indonesia, is nearing completion, and is slated to begin serving the public in August this year. But after about a decade of planning and construction, the excitement just isn’t there. Not anymore.
Turns Out, There Are Grievances on Both Sides of the China-DR Congo Relationship
Ahead of President Tshisekedi's arrival in Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Qin Gang met his Congolese counterpart Christophe Lutundula yesterday. Beyond the formalities and diplomatic courtesies reaffirming the strength of relations between the two countries, Qin made a comment that may ...
Geraud Neema on What DR Congo President Tshisekedi Hopes to Achieve During His Four-Day Visit to China
BBC WORLD SERVICE: The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, is scheduled to start a five-day visit to China today. It's his first official visit to Beijing. And among other things, the president wants to formally overhaul a $6 billion deal called the Sicomines ...
What’s At Stake During Félix Tshisekedi’s China Trip?
The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, is making a landmark trip to Beijing the week. It comes amid ongoing controversy both domestically and internationally, about the economic dominance of massive Chinese investments in the central African country. ...
G7 Leaders Wrap Hiroshima Summit With a Get Tough Message for China
The leaders of the world's seven wealthiest industrial democracies closed their summit meeting in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Saturday with a blunt message for China: stop causing trouble and play by the rules. The group of six Western countries and Japan ...
Ecuador’s New Free Trade Pact With China Provokes Lots of Excitement and Even More Questions
By Chris Alden and Alvaro Mendez The ongoing political crisis in Ecuador, which saw President Guillermo Lasso dissolve the National Assembly and trigger an election, came against the backdrop of the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China. This ...
Central Asian Leaders Arrive for China Summit That Could Erode Russian Influence
The leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan have arrived in the ancient Silk Road city of Xi’an for one-on-one meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the first in-person China-Central Asia summit on Friday. Xi is reportedly scheduled to deliver ...
Environmentalists: China Should Invest More in Renewable Energy Rather Than the East African Crude Oil Pipeline
Even as Uganda is seeking $1.8 billion for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), some Ugandan environmentalists are expressing displeasure with China’s involvement with the project. Their frustration stems from reports that China will finance the project. This ...
Q&A: Chinese-Dominated EV Supply Chains in Southeast Asia Grapple With Abuses
Since the 2010s, China has moved swiftly to secure mineral resources around the world to feed its gigantic electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing industry. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China was reported to own 15 of the 17 cobalt operations in the country, producing ...
Central Asian Leaders Arrive in Northwestern China For First-Ever Summit With Xi Jinping
Final preparations are underway in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an for a high-profile two-day Central Asian summit that gets underway on Thursday hosted by President Xi Jinping and his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. The gathering, known as the ...
Friendship over Friendshoring? Practical Opportunities for U.S.-China Coordination on Global Energy Transition
By Cecilia Springer U.S.-China competition could be bad news for the climate. The geoeconomic fragmentation that is driven by U.S.-China decoupling will raise costs and potentially slow the global energy transition. At the same time, countries ...