Category: Diplomacy

37.6 tons of PPE and other COVID-19 aid arrived at Accra's international airport on Monday as part of a large-scale Chinese government relief operation to provide badly-needed medical supplies to 18 African countries. The supplies contain personal protection equipment ...

The sudden recall from South Africa of Chinese ambassador Lin Songtian was initially interpreted as being a demotion. But the contrary appears to be true – it now looks as though his deft use of Twitter has propelled him into another role: A combatant in the growing ...

China's embassies across Africa are coordinating both public and private donations to local stakeholders battling the spread of COVID-19. The donations appear to be part of a larger Chinese strategy to raise Beijing's profile as a leading provider of humanitarian assistance, particularly to lesser developed countries.

China's typically non-combative deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhao Baogang, revealed his feelings about Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. president of being "arrogant" and "lying all the time." This is a rather sharp rhetorical escalation for Zhao, who has until now focused his social media account on ...

U.S. policymakers, journalists and other Washington, D.C. stakeholders have noted with growing alarm how China is leveraging the distribution of masks and other PPE used to contain COVID-19 to advance its diplomatic agenda around the world. There is a sense of ...

Amid headlines of Jack Ma's donation of COVID-19 PPE in Africa and a steady stream of news stories characterizing the U.S. as going "AWOL" in the fight against the global pandemic, the U.S. Department of State wants to remind everyone that America remains ...

The Chinese government appears to be taking full advantage of the country's newfound ability to produce extraordinary amounts of masks and other COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and using that gear to advance its diplomatic agenda in Africa and other regions around the world. ...

“African economies are staring at an abyss,” said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed earlier this week in a desperate appeal to the international community for aid and debt relief to offset the ruinous effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

China's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo met with President Félix Tshisekedi yesterday in Kinshasa and while they did maintain a proper distance from one another, the president's refusal to wear a mask prompted concern among Congolese Twitter users. ...

Confronted with an "existential threat," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued an urgent plea to G20 countries for immediate debt relief. The "dramatic decline in exports, disruption of global chains, and the sudden drying up of travel of tourism are sure to wreak havoc to our economies," 

Despite his reputation as brash, outspoken and confrontational, Lin Songtian, the former Chinese ambassador to South Africa, quietly left the country on Monday.  His sudden departure is a bit surprising given the enormous role he played in shaping ...

China’s most outspoken ambassador in Africa, Lin Songtian, abruptly left his post in South Africa yesterday just a few days after news had broke that he had been ordered back to China. Lin published ...