I was in Berlin this week for a conference on the EU’s relationship with Africa in the context of the continent’s growing ties with external actors, many of whom Europe finds acutely worrying.
The conference eerily landed on the second anniversary of the October 7 attack in Israel. I was in Berlin two years ago as well. In the weeks after the attack, one could see how Western powers’ ...
Category: Business
India Forced to Pay Russia in Yuan, Handing China an Unexpected Win
China stands to gain from a surprising twist in global energy trade: India, long a rival and major oil importer, is now being forced to pay Russia for crude in Chinese yuan (RMB), a move that strengthens the yuan’s global role and indirectly supports China’s currency in ...
China Makes First Move to Challenge Iron Ore Pricing Power. Yet Reality Lags Online Hype
China buys over 70% of the world’s seaborne iron ore—by far the largest share of any country. By simple market logic, the biggest buyer should set the price. Yet for decades, China has had almost no say over pricing, forced instead to accept terms set by foreign ...
China EVs in Indonesia: Chery Tops September, Local Assembly Rises
The competition among China's EVs in Indonesia tightened in September. Indonesia’s automakers’ association, Gaikindo, announced that Chery tops September, BYD still leads the year, and the contest is shifting from imports to local assembly. Local assembly can cut taxes ...
Chinese Companies Are Changing the Way They Operate in Africa
By Elisa Gambino and Costanza Franceschini For most of the past 25 years, Chinese construction companies operating in Africa could count on generous financial backing from Chinese banks. Between 2000 and 2019, Chinese funders committed almost $50 billion to African transport ...
Vietnam Now Second in Southeast Asia’s China-Led EV Market
China’s low-priced electric cars are powering Southeast Asia’s EV surge, and Vietnam has emerged as the region’s No. 2 market year-to-date on company-reported figures, closing on Thailand’s lead. The comparison is based on Vietnam’s total, which reflects VinFast deliveries, ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Chinese Carmakers Dominate Thailand’s EV Market as Safety and Warranty Gaps Raise Concerns
Chinese carmakers account for more than 70% of Thailand’s electric-vehicle sales this year, but a new Thailand Consumer Council study says gaps in safety, warranty, and after-sales rules leave buyers exposed. Thailand sold 54,084 passenger battery-electric cars in the first ...
Indonesia Suspends TikTok License Over Failure to Share Data
Indonesia's government has suspended the operating licence of video-sharing app TikTok because the platform refused to share data about recent anti-government protests, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said on Friday. Indonesia has the second-largest audience on TikTok, owned by ...
Bookings Open for First India–China Direct Flights Since Pandemic Suspension
India and China will resume direct flights between their two countries this month after a five-year suspension, officials said, with bookings opening on Friday. Direct flights between the world's two most populous countries were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 ...
China’s COMAC in Advanced Talks With AirAsia on Jet Sales
China’s state-linked planemaker COMAC is in advanced talks with Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia to sell narrow-body jets. “We’re in active discussions. I can confirm that,” AirAsia Tony Fernandes said. “We are very serious about COMAC. We’re excited. It’s ...
China-India Direct Flights to Resume After Long Suspension
China and India will restart direct flights between selected cities “by late October,” India’s embassy in China said, calling the move part of New Delhi’s “approach towards gradual normalization of relations between India and China.” Direct flights between the two ...
Thailand FDI Jumps 125% in 2025; China & Hong Kong Commit $922 Million
Investors from China and Hong Kong committed nearly $922 million to Thailand from January to August 2025, the Ministry of Commerce said. Total foreign projects approved reached about $6.27 billion, up 125% from a year earlier. ...
Indonesia Fines TikTok Over Late Tokopedia Acquisition Notice
Indonesia's antitrust agency has fined TikTok $900,000 for failing to notify regulators in time about its acquisition of e-commerce platform Tokopedia, an official said on Monday. TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, completed an $840 million deal in January 2024 to acquire ...