Category: Geopolitics

Stop Calling the Lobito Corridor a U.S. Gambit Against China

There’s a lazy but geopolitically irresistible allure in branding Angola’s Lobito Corridor as a U.S. bid to blunt China’s influence in Africa and the region’s mineral supply chains. I get why the framing sticks: it’s neat, dramatic, and easy to sell. ...

China Slams Vietnam Over Island-Building in South China Sea

China condemned Vietnam over a report it had sped up island-building in an area of the disputed South China Sea that Beijing claims as its own. "China firmly opposes the relevant country’s construction activities on islands and reefs they have illegally ...

China Says Summit to Provide Stability, Counter ‘Hegemonism’

China slammed "hegemonism and power politics" on Friday as it touted an upcoming summit it is hosting for more than 20 world leaders as promoting stability and peace. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit will be held in the northern city of ...

China and India Move Cautiously Toward Rapprochement, but Rivalries Endure

The resumption of trade at three border outposts, the establishment of bilateral working groups to help mitigate tensions over disputed territory, and mutual support for one another in hosting upcoming BRICS summits were just some of the achievements reached during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s high-level trip ...

The New Normal in China-India Relations and Multipolarity in Asia

By Saniya Kulkarni Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded a two-day visit to New Delhi after talks with Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This visit is another step towards the normalization of relations between the two ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Plugging into African Agency

After several years of declining funding, the African end of the Belt and Road Initiative seems to be roaring back. The newest Griffith University/Green Development Finance Center data on the Belt and Road Initiative shows that engagement with Africa jumped by 395%, while a few big projects boosted engagement in Nigeria alone more than twelvefold.

These shifts indicate a window of opportunity for African electrification. 60% of Africans still lack ...

China Slams Germany for ‘Hyping’ Regional Tensions in Asia

China lashed out at Germany on Monday, warning Berlin against "inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions" after its foreign minister said Beijing was "increasingly aggressive" in the Asia-Pacific region. During a visit to Japan, Johann Wadephul said China had made repeated ...

Solomon Islands Says China Not Influencing Diplomatic Decisions

By Ben Strang Solomon Islands defended its move to bar some partners from an influential summit of South Pacific leaders, brushing aside claims on Thursday of a looming split or that China is influencing its decisions.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Says ‘Outsiders’ Meddling in Regional Summit

By Ben Strang New Zealand's foreign minister said Thursday that foreign influence was threatening to split an upcoming annual summit of South Pacific leaders. Foreign Minister Winston Peters sounded the warning as the region's top ...

Xi Says China, Brazil Can Model ‘Self-Reliance’ for Global South

China's President Xi Jinping told his Brazilian counterpart Tuesday the two countries could set an example of "self-reliance" for emerging powers, as trade and geopolitical challenges mount. The two leaders have both sought in recent months to present their countries as ...

Xi Tells Putin China Glad to See Improved U.S.-Russia Relations

President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in a phone call on Friday that China was pleased to see Moscow and Washington improving their relations, state media said. Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to hold talks ...

What Would a Grand Bargain Between China and the U.S. Mean for the Rest of Us?

The prevailing view among Chinese intellectuals is that U.S.-China strategic rivalry is structural and enduring. Yan Yilong, for instance, describes the competition as “not merely a disagreement between two sovereign states” but a “structural conflict between the great rejuvenation of ...

Amid Fuel Shortages, Cuba Looks to China for Energy Solutions

Cuba is in the middle of a profound energy crisis — and China sees an opening. As Havana struggles with crumbling infrastructure, dwindling oil imports, and a decades-long economic downturn, Beijing is stepping in to fill the void left by its traditional allies, Russia and Venezuela. The ...
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