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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The Philippines Coast Guard and Navy successfully outmaneuvered a Chinese blockade to bring food and other provisions to a remote outpost in the South China Sea -- but not before several harrowing confrontations with Chinese vessels that appeared determined to prevent the Filipino vessels from passing.
How Chinese Maritime Forces Tried to Blockade a Philippines Re-Supply Mission in the South China Sea
In this image taken by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), seven Chinese vessels, including unmarked "maritime militia" ships, surrounded a pair of PCG ships during a re-supply mission on Friday.
Zambian President Arrives in China for Crucial Debt Talks
Zambian President Haikinde Hichilema landed in the southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen on Sunday to kick off a six-day visit to China that will include highly-anticipated talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to finalize the details of a debt restructuring deal signed last June.
WEEK IN REVIEW: South Africa Reportedly in Negotiation With Chinese EV Giant BYD to Open Manufacturing Plant in the Country
South Africa is reportedly in negotiation with the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD to open a manufacturing plant in the country, according to the cabinet. BYD, China’s best-selling car brand, launched its first e-vehicle in SA last year. South Africa has a robust auto-building sector, which includes a ...
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While ASEAN Diplomats Converge in Jakarta, Major Powers Conduct Joint Military Exercises Across Southeast Asia
Whether by coincidence or design, three Southeast Asian countries launched high-profile joint military exercises this week with various major powers while leaders from these countries met in Jakarta for the ongoing ASEAN summit. On Sunday, the Chinese and Thai navies kicked ...
U.S. Says China’s Map Claims Over South China Sea, Indian Border Regions Are “Unlawful”
The United States joined a growing list of countries to reject China's territorial claims detailed in its new standard map that was published last week. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel addressed the issues on Tuesday at the daily press ...
Chinese, Vietnamese Communist Party Leaders Meet Ahead of Biden Visit to Hanoi
China dispatched a high-level Communist Party (CPC) emissary to Vietnam days before U.S. President Joe Biden is set to arrive when he is expected to upgrade diplomatic ties with Hanoi. Liu Jianchao, head of the CPC's international liaison department, met with ...
China’s Ambassador to Nepal Sparks New Uproar in India
China's steadily worsening ties with India soured further on Tuesday when Beijing's ambassador to Kathmandu, Chen Song, criticized New Delhi's "policies towards Nepal and other neighbors" as "not so friendly." Chen's remarks sparked an angry response in the Indian media, which ...