Author: Eric Olander
Eric Olander is the co-founder of the China Global South Project, an independent, non-partisan media initiative dedicated to exploring every facet of China’s engagement in Africa. Eric is a fluent Mandarin-speaker and a longtime China-watcher with more than 25 years of journalism experience at many of the world’s leading media companies, including CNN, the BBC, and FRANCE24, among others. He received his undergraduate degree in East African History from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a master’s degree in Chinese Public Affairs from the University of Hong Kong.
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New Foreign Ministry Annex in Ghana and a Newly Refurbished Parliament Building in Malawi Are China’s Latest “Gifts” to African Governments
Ghana's Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey was visibly excited to see what her new office will look like in the new $20 million foreign ministry annex building that will be entirely paid for by China. Botchwey was joined by the Chinese ambassador ...
Vietnamese Authorities Seize Tons of Ivory, Most Likely Bound for China
Vietnamese customs authorities in the northern port city of Hai Phong intercepted a massive seven-ton shipment of illicit ivory that originated in Angola and traveled via Singapore. Inspectors discovered the contraband on Monday after seeing a discrepancy in shipping documents that listed ...
Newly-released Sat Photos Show Chinese-funded Navy Base Taking Shape in Cambodia
New satellite photos show that Chinese contractors have made considerable progress in building an extension of the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia. The images taken by the private company Blacksky reveal the submerged foundation for a long pier that will extend ...
Taiwan President Heads to Central America to Bolster Ties With Two of the Island’s Last Few Diplomatic Allies
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will embark on a three-nation tour of the Americas that will include a stopover in the United States before heading to Belize and Guatemala, two of Taipei's last remaining diplomatic allies. Tsai's trip comes in the wake of
Reporting Tips for African Journalists Covering China
Reporting on China is difficult even for the most experienced journalist who's spent years living there and speaks the language. So, it's not surprising that reporters in Africa who've had limited exposure to the country often struggle to cover China-related news. ...
Japan, Indian PMs Present Unified Front to Challenge China’s Expanding Influence in Asia
While most of the world's attention was focused on Chinese President Xi Jinping's talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, another critically important summit between the leaders of Japan and India also took place on Monday in New Delhi.
Publicly, China Says It’s Not Worried About Closer Japan-India Ties
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not formally respond to this week's Japan-India summit, but as is so often the case, Beijing leveraged the sharp-tongued CPC-run Global Times newspaper to speak on its behalf. And if Monday's editorial is anything to go ...
Evan Feigenbaum on Why Xi’s Russia Visit is Critical for China’s Global South Agenda
Speculating about Chinese President Xi Jinping's motives for meeting with Vladimir Putin and whether he's serious about brokering a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine or just trolling the West has become something of a parlor game among China Watchers.
Russia Knocks Saudi Arabia From Top Spot as China’s Leading Oil Supplier
Russia overtook Saudi Arabia in the first two months of the year as China's largest oil supplier, with purchases surging 24% compared to the same time last year, according to new Chinese customs data. Chinese buyers were seemingly keen to take ...
Xi Demands “Severe Punishment” for Assailants Who Killed 9 Chinese Miners in Central African Republic
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the Central African Republic (CAR) to find the attackers who raided a mining company early Sunday morning and killed 9 Chinese nationals. The President called for the perpetrators to receive "severe punishment." It's extremely rare, if not ...
The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe Takes Aim at Remarks by Washington’s Ambassador-Designate to Harare
The Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe published a blistering response to comments made by U.S. Ambassador-designate Pamela Tremont during her Senate confirmation hearings last week in Washington, D.C. During questioning, Tremont was pressed by senators to contrast China's engagement in Zimbabwe with ...
China Urges All of Its People in Central African Republic to Remain in Place Following Attack That Killed 9
Unknown gunmen launched a pre-dawn raid early Sunday morning on a newly-opened Chinese-operated mine near the Central African Republic (CAR) capital of Bangui, killing 9 Chinese nationals and injuring two others. It's not clear at this time who is responsible and ...