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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With U.S. COVID Jabs Now Landing in Africa, Vaccine Rivalry With China Likely to Intensify
For the first since the beginning of the pandemic, U.S.-made vaccines are arriving in Africa, opening what will likely become another front in the burgeoning global rivalry with China. The first half of an order of 300,000 doses of Johnson & ...
New Data Reveals China’s Growing Dependence on Middle Eastern Oil
Middle Eastern oil producers now account for 48.3% of China's oil buys in the first half of the year, according to the latest Chinese customs data. Saudi Arabia is the top provider, with 16.8% of the market in H1 2021, followed by Russia with 15.3%.
New Guidelines Suggest Chinese Government Wants Companies to Be Greener When Investing Abroad
The Chinese government appears to be taking much more concrete steps in promoting more environmentally sustainable foreign direct investment. Two of the country's largest ministries, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Environment and Ecology, jointly published ...
Beijing’s New Man in Kampala
China's newly-appointed ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, presented his credentials on Wednesday to Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo. During the brief ceremony, Zhang also gave Odongo a copy of the 668 page "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China Volume Three."
AFP Fact Checks Misinformation Circulating About a Recent Fight in Sierra Leone That Went Viral
Regular readers of this newsletter will know that the viral video of a fight between a Chinese employee and safety inspectors at the Tonkolili mine took place in Sierra Leone, but apparently a lot of people online erroneously think it occurred in Kenya. ...
African Textile Unions Call For Increased Government Protection Against Illegal Imports From China
Years of illegal textile imports and low-cost replicas from China have decimated Africa's once-thriving textile manufacturing sector and labor unions across the continent are calling on the government to do something about it. At a recent meeting of IndustriAll Global Union ...
China’s Once Obscure Auto Brands Are Building a Loyal Following in Critical African Markets
The Haval Jolion's jump to number two in South Africa's SUV market is the latest indication of the growing popularity of Chinese-made vehicles in Africa. Great Wall’s P Series pickup is also now a top-five brand in SA, Africa's largest automotive market.
African Iron Ore Producers Poised to Benefit From Supply Constraints Brought on By Disruptions in Australia and Brazil
Strong demand from Chinese steel mills, combined with supply disruptions in two of the world's largest iron ore producing countries, Brazil and Australia, will help to maintain near record-high ore prices, according to analyst forecasts. Chinese buyers may turn more to ...
Countries Throughout Asia & The Americas Struggle to Find Balance Between the U.S. and China
Countries throughout the Global South have said repeatedly that they do not want to be forced to choose sides in the increasingly acrimonious relationship between the United States and China. But in some cases, they no longer have a choice. That's ...
China’s Infrastructure Soft Power Diplomacy in Africa
China's approach to soft power diplomacy in Africa differs markedly from that of other major powers, namely the United States, France and the UK. While those countries rely heavily on cultural products like movies and music to promote their cultures, China uses glamor shots of beautiful new ...
China and the Arab League Publish a Joint Statement That Showcases Beijing’s Growing Ambitions in the Middle East
China and the Arab League published a sweeping joint statement on Monday that highlights Beijing's increasingly ambitious geopolitical agenda in the Middle East and Persian Gulf regions. The statement followed a Sunday meeting between visiting Chinese ...
South Africa’s Chinese Communities in Shock After Last Week’s Violence
Chinese merchants in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province are digging through the rubble of their looted stores and burned out factories following last week's spasm of mass violence that left more than 200 people dead and caused $1+ billion in property damage. ...