Category: Politics
William Ruto Wins Kenya’s Presidential Election. What Does That Mean For Kenya’s Ties With China?
William Ruto was declared president-elect on Monday by the head of Kenya's independent election commission after narrowly edging out his main rival Raila Odinga. But as was expected in such a close race, controversy erupted when four electoral commissioners hinted there were problems with the vote, prompting Odinga's supporters to ...
Saudi Arabia is Preparing For President Xi’s Arrival This Week, According to Reports
There are new indications that Chinese President Xi Jinping will, in fact, be heading to Saudi Arabia this week for his first overseas visit in nearly three years since the beginning of the pandemic. Although there is still no official confirmation of the ...
New Economist Intelligence Unit Report Provides Fresh Reminder of China’s Highly Unequal Trade With Africa
The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) latest report on China-Africa relations forecasts how it sees the relationship between these two regions evolving over the next ten years. Broadly speaking, the EIU predicts China will devote more attention to Africa, both for economic reasons and ...
Where in the World is Xi Jinping Going?
The British newspaper The Guardian sparked excitement late last week with an exclusive report that Chinese President Xi Jinping would break his nearly 900-day absence from international travel with a visit to Saudi Arabia. Middle East correspondent Martin Chulov also divulged that ...
India’s Ties With China Strained Across Multiple Fronts
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar renewed his sharp criticism of China's alleged incursions into Indian territory along their disputed border in the Himalayas known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and, again, claimed that Sino-Pakistan BRI projects are violating Indian sovereignty. The ...
Chinese Media Hints at Change in India’s Taiwan Policy When There Really Wasn’t Any
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagch reiterated on Friday New Delhi's longstanding position on the One-China Policy and reaffirmed that New Delhi remains committed to the status quo regarding Taiwan. There was nothing exceptional about the statement, and it didn't reflect ...
Huawei’s India CEO Tells Court “I am a Chinese National, Not a Terrorist”
Huawei's CEO for India, Li Xiongli, borrowed a line from a popular Indian movie in a court plea on Friday to be released on bail following his arrest on tax charges. "I am a Chinese (national) and not a terrorist," Li said through his lawyer, cribbing the line from the 2010 ...
Chinese Official Dismisses Reports of Xi Trip to Saudi Arabia as “Gossip”
While Twitter was abuzz with speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping would travel to Saudi Arabia this week based on a story in The Guardian, Wang Cheng, a highly-respected and normally very reliable Commerce Ministry dismissed the idea as nothing more than "gossip." Wang ...
The Discourse Power of “One China” and the Global South
By Hugo Jones Leaders, diplomats, and political parties from countries across Africa and the Global South have criticized Nancy Pelosi’s recent trip to Taiwan and reaffirmed their commitment to (China’s interpretation of) the One-China principle. As Cobus van Staden noted last ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: United States Marine General Michael Langley Took Over as the Top U.S. Commander for Africa on Tuesday
United States Marine General Michael Langley took over as the top U.S. commander for Africa on Tuesday, heading U.S. military operations on the continent. General Langley assumed command from Army General Stephen Townsend who was among the U.S. government's most outspoken critics of China's expanding influence in Africa, particularly on ...
India Could Ban Cheap Chinese Phones
The Indian government could push Chinese mobile phone manufacturers out of the lower end of its market, according to a new report by Bloomberg. The possible ban is reportedly aimed at boosting India’s failing domestic phone makers in the lucrative sub-12,000 rupee ($150) sector. ...
Chinese Phone-Makers Chafe Under Indian Pressure
The Indian government's apparent move to ban cheap Chinese-made smartphones is causing much unhappiness among Chinese companies that have worked hard to localize their presence there. Some Chinese companies are now contemplating leaving the country, but complain that they feel trapped ...