Category: Infrastructure

China, Zambia Kick-Start Revamp of Mineral Railway

China and Zambia launched on Thursday a $1.4 billion project to modernize a railway line that will transport minerals from the copper-rich southern African country to Indian Ocean ports for export. The upgrade comes as the United States and other partners ...

China Electric Heavy Trucks Surge as Diesel and LNG Demand Slide

China’s shift to electric heavy trucks is moving faster than expected, with diesel demand slipping and hopes for a long LNG trucking boom fading. Electric trucks made up 22% of new heavy-duty sales in the first half of 2025, up ...

China’s BYD Targets 1.6 Million Overseas Sales in 2026

China's BYD 2026 target aims to sell 1.5 million to 1.6 million vehicles outside China in 2026. The number is up from a projected 900,000 to 1 million in 2025, Citi said Tuesday after meetings with company management. Citi ...

Indonesia to Renegotiate China Rail Loan, 5.1m Riders This Year

Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail “Whoosh” carried 5.1 million passengers in January–October 2025, 6.3% more than a year earlier. The record lifts total ridership to more than 12.2 million since it opened on Oct. 17, 2023, the operator PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) said.

China Signals Support for Indonesia HSR; Debt Under Review

China said it is ready to help keep Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung high-speed line running smoothly as Jakarta opens talks to restructure project loans. In Beijing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasize that when evaluating high-speed rail projects, Indonesia and China ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The Pain of Un-Polarity

“THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!”
This post by U.S. President Donald Trump in the run-up to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week may end up leaving a more lasting mark than the actual summit he attended.

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Indonesia Weighs Dual Strategies With China to Keep Whoosh High-Speed Rail on Track

Indonesia and China are negotiating with China’s economic planner, the NDRC, to address a funding shortfall for the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail project, known as "Whoosh." The gap emerged after costs rose by about $1.2 billion, while ticket sales fell short of loan payments.

Kenya’s China Debt Deal Challenges Old Narratives

Kenya and China have reached a groundbreaking agreement to restructure $3.5 billion in railway loans, converting them from U.S. dollars into Chinese yuan. The move could save Kenya $215 million in debt servicing costs and marks the first time an African ...

After Kenya Secures Landmark Railway Debt Deal With China, Indonesia Eyes a Similar Renegotiation

Indonesia's Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani confirmed on Wednesday that talks are underway with Chinese creditors to restructure the $7.3 billion of debt owed by the Sino-Indonesian joint venture that operates the Whoosh high-speed railway. Although the train has been popular with travelers, 

China, Zambia and Tanzania Seal $1.4 Billion Deal to Modernize Tazara Railway

More than a year after a memorandum of understanding was signed in Beijing, China, Zambia and Tanzania have finalized an agreement to rehabilitate and modernize the Tazara railway. Built by China in the 1970s, the strategic line links Zambia to Tanzania and runs to the port of ...

China Signs Deal to Upgrade Iconic African Rail Line

China, Zambia, and Tanzania signed a $1.4 billion deal to upgrade the TAZARA rail line between the two countries. The line is an icon of Africa-China cooperation, with its first iteration supported by Mao Zedong in the 1970s. The ...

Indonesia Prepares for Pivotal Talks on Expanding China-Financed ‘Whoosh’ High-Speed Railway

When the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail, known as the Whoosh, opened in October 2023, it quickly drew scrutiny. China provided billions in loans, KCIC—the China-Indonesia joint venture operating the line—reported losses, and parent companies like the state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) absorbed significant deficits. Critics ...

Chinese EV Giant Reenters South African Market

The Chinese car company Geely has announced it will return to South Africa, about a decade after it withdrew from the market. It has reportedly secured 35 dealerships around the country, aiming for 40 before its official launch. South Africa’s ...
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