Analysis
Diverse voices, unique insights on key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
analysis
Chinese COVID Variant Shows Up in India, Raising Fears of Asia-Wide Wave
The COVID-19 mutation currently roiling China’s healthcare service could be showing up in India. Indian health authorities have increased the genome sequencing of new cases amid reports of four cases of the Omicron BF7 subvariant currently dominant in China, showing up in the Indian states of Gujarat and ...
Why Rapprochement Between China and Australia Could Have Far-Ranging Consequences on Developing Countries
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in the Chinese capital on Tuesday night for a landmark visit that points to a thaw in the icy relations between the two Pacific powers. In fact, she's the first Australian FM to travel to Beijing since ties began to deteriorate more than three years ...
Ghana Shows the Global South’s Debt Problem is Bigger than China
The news that Ghana has defaulted on its external debt is sending shivers through the continent. It immediately raises questions about how the Ghanaian people will overcome the crisis and which country could be next. In response to the default, today’s newsletter examines the debt issue from ...
Ghana Becomes Latest Global South Country to Default on Debt
Ghana announced it will suspend payments on most of its debt to bondholders, other commercial lenders, and foreign governments, officially putting it in default. The announcement comes a week after a staff-level meeting with the IMF and a ratings downgrade. Ghana’s economy is spiraling, with 70%-100% of government revenue going to ...
Is the U.S. Comparative Advantage in Engaging with Africa Enough for U.S.-Africa Relations?
By Oyintarelado Moses The U.S. showed off its comparative advantage in engaging with Africa during the Africa and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum at last week’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. While sitting in the audience, I observed as the first African American Vice ...
Ecuador President Arrives in Washington With Nearly-Complete Chinese Trade Deal in His Back Pocket
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso will be at the White House on Monday for talks with President Joe Biden. The two leaders reportedly will address a broad range of issues, from Ecuador's appeal for more U.S. support to fight drug cartels to Washington's request for Lasso's administration to ...
The Limits of China’s Engagement in Afghanistan
By Lukas Fiala On Monday, armed extremists opened fire inside Kabul Longan Hotel, a popular accommodation for Chinese citizens in Afghanistan. With many dead or injured, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility and that the attack targeted Chinese citizens. More than one ...
U.S.-Africa Summit Strengthened Relationship but Didn’t Revolutionize It
As the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit wraps up today, one is struck by a paradox: while several notable new deals were announced, the summit as a whole has been slightly underwhelming. The United States seemed determined to combat two interrelated narratives. First, ...
U.S.-Africa Summit Showcases New Biden Strategy, Amid Republican Complaints
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris opened the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit yesterday with an optimistic message focusing on Africa’s youth. President Joe Biden is scheduled to join the summit today, and his administration has leaned into new cooperation initiatives. These include an additional $100 million to expand the Obama-era Youth African Leaders ...
With China on the Minds of Many in DC, U.S.-Africa Summit Gets Underway
Under mounting pressure to rival China's engagement in Africa, the White House wants to make it very clear that the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that begins on Tuesday will be very different than what it's done in the past. Traditionally, the U.S. has ...
“Blue-ing” the BRI for Coastal Ecosystems and Communities
By Rebecca Ray Over the last week, China has presided over the Council of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Montreal. China has chaired COP15 since the COVID-19 pandemic prevented countries from convening ...
Why China May Succeed in the Middle East Where So Many Others Have Failed
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia last week and his participation in three summits with Arab leaders went precisely according to plan. The President was feted lavishly by the Saudi royal family while seeming to rise above the region's often toxic politics.