With U.S.-South Africa ties in the deep freeze, it was notable to see the sheer size of the U.S. delegation sent to this week’s Mining Indaba in Cape Town – one of the most prominent industry gatherings and one of the few where the Global South gets a prominent voice.
The Trump administration’s famous Afrophobia seems (momentarily at least) tempered by its greed for minerals. It is reportedly walking ...
Category: Investment
The Three Faces of Chinese Investment in Southeast Asia: SOEs, POEs, and MNEs
In 2025, China remained a top-three source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Southeast Asia, following only the U.S. and intra-Southeast Asian flows. While much of the investment falls under the umbrella of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it is important to distinguish between broad ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Singapore Investment Commitments Rise in 2025 as China’s Share Soars
By Jun Yuan Yong Singapore drew more investment in 2025 despite geopolitical and economic uncertainties, with China forming a larger share of total commitments and business expenditures, according to data released on Monday by the city-state's Economic Development Board. ...
Why the Belt and Road Is Back in a Big Way
There's been a lot of discussion in recent years about the financial health of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Critics contend the BRI became overstretched, bankrupting borrowers and straining creditors suffering from a weakening Chinese economy.
Macron Threatens China With Tariffs Over Trade Surplus
French President Emmanuel Macron said he has threatened China with tariffs if Beijing fails to take steps to reduce its massive trade surplus with the EU, in remarks published Sunday. "I told them that if they don't react, we Europeans will ...
Kenya Sees a Third Wave of Chinese Investment, Led This Time by Shandong
Over more than a decade in Kenya, the popular WeChat commentator Xiao Nie “小聂说事儿,” witnessed three waves of Chinese investment. The first came from Guangdong and Fujian, who are small-scale commodity traders. The second was led by Zhejiang entrepreneurs in manufacturing, wholesale, and e-commerce, followed by a ...
How a Chinese Couple Built Africa’s Diaper Empire
When Softcare debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on November 10, few outside Asia had heard of it. Yet the “King of African Diapers” saw its shares jump 33% on day one, valuing the company at over $2.57 billion. Unlike the tech startups dominating headlines, ...
China Among Top Investors as Thailand Logs $42.6 Billion in 2025 Projects
Chinese and regional investors are backing Thailand’s push to become a high-end production and data hub for Southeast Asia. The country’s Board of Investment said investors filed about $42.6 billion worth of new projects this year to build EV battery plants, semiconductor production and large data ...
Why Chinese Companies Are Pouring Money Into Brazil
China’s economic ties with Brazil are booming, and 2024 saw a stunning 113% jump in Chinese investment, totaling $4.2 billion across 39 projects, the highest number ever, according to a new report by the Brazil-China Business Council.
China’s Overseas Bullet Train: Malaysians Still Top Foreign Riders
China’s first overseas high-speed rail in Indonesia, the Whoosh bullet train, is carrying a steady flow of foreign passengers, and Malaysians continue to account for the largest share, the operator said. In less than two years since its inauguration in ...
China’s Belt and Road Hits New Highs, but Latin America Lags
By Fermín Koop and Patrick Moore The first half of 2025 saw the highest engagement ever for a six-month period under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s flagship global infrastructure program, a new report has shown.
[WEEK IN REVIEW] China Invests in Angola to Secure Food Supply Chains
Chinese construction giant Sinohydro signed a $100 million deal with Angola to build out the country's agricultural infrastructure in a bid to boost grain production. While 60% of the output from this venture will be shipped to China, the rest will ...
China’s Belt and Road Shatters Expectations With Record Activity
For much of the past two years, we've been told to expect a slimmer, more austere Belt and Road under the new "Small Yet Beautiful" mantra. The days of Chinese mega deals across the Global South were over... or so we ...
Vietnam’s Growth Surges. But Is It Still a Bargain for Global Manufacturing?
Chinese companies are pouring into Vietnam, but rising costs and fragile foundations raise questions about how long the boom can last. Vietnam’s GDP grew 7.52% in the first half of 2025, recording its fastest first-half growth in 15 years. A record ...