Category: Politics
As G20 Debt Relief Effort Flounders, World Bank President Calls Out the Chinese by Name
There's growing unease in the international donor community that China doesn't seem aligned with other major creditors on how to resolve the increasingly serious debt crisis in Africa and other developing regions. World Bank President David Malpass hinted at simmering frustrations when he called ...
China’s Ambassador to the UK Reiterates that Beijing Prefers to Work With Borrowers Bilaterally
In a Q&A session broadcast on Twitter, China's influential ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, admitted publicly that Beijing prefers to work with borrowers bilaterally rather than through multilateral organizations because it's "more effective."
The U.S. will Find Persuading Africans to Abandon Huawei a Tough Sell
The UK's decision to remove Huawei equipment from its new 5G network marks a significant win for the United States, who's been lobbying governments for years to stop using the Chinese telecom company's gear. The U.S. alleges, so far without evidence, ...
Will China Repay Its Debt to Africa?
China has led a surprisingly effective, low-key campaign to lead mid-tier agencies at international organizations. At the United Nations, Chinese nationals now lead five of the 15 specialized agencies: the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. Department for Economic ...
Why Africa’s Oil Exporters Should be Very Concerned About the Proposed China-Iran Mega-Deal
Iran and China are reportedly nearing completion of a wide-ranging oil-for-infrastructure deal that would pave the way for billions of dollars of Chinese investment in Iran's energy, telecommunications and financial service sectors in exchange for a 25-year supply of oil.
Pompeo’s Critiques of the Chinese in Africa Sparks Pointed Response From Beijing
Secretary Pompeo's comments on Africa were just one of several U.S. critiques that dominated much of Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian's regular press briefing on Friday. After responding to the Secretary's announcement that Washington would impose targeted sanctions against Chinese officials linked to ...
African Stakeholders May Want to Keep Close Watch on How Small South Asian Countries are Handling the India-China Conflict
Africa is by no means alone as a region where small countries are struggling to stay out of great power competition. In South Asia, smaller countries like Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka are doing their best to avoid getting sucked into the violent conflict currently roiling ...
Reflections on the Coming Era of Great Power Competition in Africa
Given the heightened tensions between the United States and China and the corresponding implications for Africa, a new conversation is getting underway over what great power competition looks like in the 21st century and whether it will play out differently on the continent than during the decades-long ...
U.S.-China Great Power Competition in Africa
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed his attacks on China's presence in Africa last week, triggering a full-throated rebuttal from Beijing in what's now become an almost routine back-and-forth between these two rival powers. The feud between these two countries ...
The Chinese Embassy in Abuja Blasts Nigerian COVID-19 Lawsuit as “Shoddy” and “Frivolous”
The Chinese embassy in Nigeria on Wednesday forcefully reasserted its objections to a $200 billion lawsuit against China for reparations for COVID-19 filed by a group of Nigerian lawyers in the High Court. "The attempt to file frivolous lawsuits is a shoddy one, as it has zero ...
Another High Profile Chinese Ambassador in Africa to Leave Soon
China's Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, is making the rounds this week to say good-bye to officials in Abuja ahead of his planned departure. Ambassador Zhou is the third high profile Chinese envoy to rotate out of their post in Africa following this spring's departure ...
The Need to Discuss Race in China-Africa Relations
The domestic racial homogeneity of China and most African countries, as well as the lack of cross-cultural understanding between Chinese and Africans, have always been attributed as the rationale for the people-level clashes between Chinese and Africans, be it in Africa or China. However, in ...