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.
Related Posts
South China Sea Update: Will the U.S. Really Defend the Philippines Against China?
Donald Trump strongly feels that U.S. security alliances in Europe no longer serve Washington's long-term interest. In his view, the U.S. is being "ripped off" by wealthy countries that can afford to pay for their protection but choose to rely on ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Kenya Courts China While U.S. Sounds Alarm Over Beijing’s Reach in Africa
Kenyan President William Ruto is scheduled to travel to Beijing later this month for an official state visit, where he's widely expected to finalize a long-awaited deal to extend the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the Ugandan border. But ...
China’s Commerce Minister Talks Trade and Tariffs With Malaysian Counterpart Ahead of Xi Visit
China's Commerce Minister, Wang Wentao, met with his Malaysian counterpart Tengku Zafrul on Wednesday to discuss the tariff threat posed by the United States and how the two Asian countries can forge closer commercial ties. The two ministers also discussed President Xi ...
Xi Jinping’s Southeast Asia Tour Comes as U.S. Tariff Chaos Creates Diplomatic Openings
New details emerged on Wednesday about Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-nation, week-long tour of Southeast Asia that begins next week. Consistent with previous presidential tours, Chinese authorities were silent about Xi's travel plans but the itinerary was eventually revealed piecemeal by ...
BYD Goes on the Offensive in South Africa With the Launch of Three New Models
Chinese auto major BYD is moving aggressively to expand in the South African market with the launch of three new models this week, including their full-size electric pickup, a hybrid SUV, and an all-electric sedan. South Africa is an alluring market ...
Offshore Trading of China’s Currency Sinks to Historic Low, Presenting Yet Another Problem for Developing Countries
China’s offshore yuan fell to an all-time low against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday as trade tensions between the United States and China escalated after days of turmoil over tariffs. The offshore yuan, which is circulated outside mainland China and is ...
U.S. to Vietnam: “Zero Tariffs, That Means Nothing to Us,” It’s Chinese Transshipments That Are the Main Focus
Vietnam is desperately trying to stave off a potentially devastating 46% tariff on all exports to the United States that will on Wednesday. Communist Party General Secretary Tô Lâm appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump personally last week for a 45-day implementation delay in the hope that will ...
The Fate of China’s Global Supply Chains in the New Tariff Era
With new tariff threats from the Trump administration and rising tensions across key markets, companies and governments alike are scrambling to understand what decoupling—or de-risking—actually looks like in practice. From electronics and apparel to solar panels and electric vehicles, China’s ...
China and the New World Trade War
U.S. President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that he will not back down from his massive tariff campaign that he launched last week and even promised to impose even higher duties on Chinese goods in response to Beijing's 34% tariff retaliation ...
In China’s Wake, India Tries a Cleaner, Fairer Mineral Path in Africa
In January, the Indian government published a new critical minerals strategy that details how the country aims to bolster supply chains necessary for its green energy transition. While the report underscores the importance of developing domestic supplies of lithium and other ...
Lessons From Southeast Asia on How to Manage Great Power Rivalries
China and Vietnam have taken two distinctly different approaches in how they manage their territorial disputes with China. The Philippines is leaning into its alliance with the United States along with new security pacts with more than half a dozen other ...
Week Long Event Aims to Boost Kenya’s Trade Ties With One of China’s Largest Cities, Chongqing
He Hunghua, mayor of the sprawling industrial megacity of Chongqing in southwest China, wrapped up a week-long trade promotion visit to Kenya on Friday with more than $380 million of deals signed. Among the new agreements includes the construction of a new ...