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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While overall attendance at this year's Belt and Road Forum in Beijing was robust, the participation of heads of state and leaders of international organizations was down dramatically from the first forum in 2017. In fact, so few leaders attended this ...
Kenya’s President Appeals to Chinese Investors to Finance Railway Extension to Ugandan Border
Kenyan President William Ruto issued a direct appeal to Chinese investors to finance the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the Ugandan border. The president explained that completing this last portion of the railway would unlock significant economic opportunities throughout ...
The Old Belt & Road is Over, New Era Begins, Says Top China Analyst Richard McGregor
With the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing now wrapped up, some of the world's top China analysts are beginning to reflect on the key themes that emerged at this year's event and what it says about the future of Belt and Road.
China’s Dominance of the EV Battery Metal Supply Chain
Chilean President Gabriel Boric oversaw the signing of a $233 million lithium deal on Tuesday with Chinese mining giant Tsingshan Holding Group, the latest investment that solidifies China's dominance of the fiercely contested EV battery metal supply chain.
Kenyan President’s Economic Diplomacy Agenda Will be Tested in Beijing This Week
Among the dozens of leaders attending this week's Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, few are under as much pressure to deliver tangible results from the event as Kenyan President William Ruto. Back home, the Kenyan economy is in serious trouble
China’s Special Envoy Will Go to the Middle East This Week to Push For Peace Talks
China's Special Envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, will reportedly travel to the region this week to meet with key stakeholders in a longshot attempt to push for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. China's state broadcaster CCTV announced the ...
China Not be Ready for Primetime Mideast Mediation But Will Still Benefit From War’s Politics, Say Experts
China's evolving position on the war between Israel and Hamas provoked considerable discussion over the weekend from leading scholars and analysts around the world: PARALYSIS: For a while at least, Beijing’s Middle East policy is paralyzed by the war. The ...
China Largely Abandons Neutrality Stance in Israel-Hamas War as Beijing Ramps Up Mideast Diplomacy
After initially declaring its neutrality in the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted on October 7, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke out forcefully in defense of the Palestinians and accused the Jewish State of going "beyond self-defense."
Zimbabwe’s Elite Share Their Views on China: What a New Survey Reveals
Across Africa, public opinion about China has been quite positive overall with favorability ratings surpassing those of other major powers, including the United States. But not in Zimbabwe, at least among the country's elites, according to a new survey.
China Determined to Stay Out of Israel-Hamas War, Analysts Reflect on How Beijing’s Stance Will Impact Mideast Ties
The Chinese government is not budging from its initial response to the war between Hamas and Israel, refusing to condemn the initial assault over the weekend and appearing determined to remain on the sidelines. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wanbin ...
China’s Two-Pronged Response to War in the Middle East: Officially Stay Neutral, Unofficially Blame U.S./Israel
China is under mounting international pressure to articulate a more forceful response to the war between Israel and Hamas that started over the weekend. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning faced a barrage of questions from both domestic and international journalists at ...
China’s One-Sided Coverage of the Gaza War: “In Beijing, Only the Palestinians Suffer”
Chinese television coverage of the early stages of the war between Hamas and Israel appears to focus disproportionately on the suffering of Palestinians and very little on the victims of the fighting in Israel. Phil Cunningham, creator of ...