When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Manufacturing
The Silent Crisis Killing African EV Manufacturing
Kenya's electric vehicle innovations and adoptions are well documented but beneath the veneer lies a challenge that many do not speak of loudly- the capacity for local production of basic components. This is an issue that slows down growth not only ...
Thailand Revamps EV Incentives as Chinese Brands Surge
Thailand has rewritten its electric-vehicle incentive rules, revamping Thailand EV incentives by shifting deadlines and tightening subsidy conditions. The National Electric Vehicle Policy Board approved the changes at its first meeting under the new administration, ...
China E-Mobility Weekly Digest: China Races Ahead in Africa’s EV Market as Local Manufacturing, Legacy Players Gain Momentum
This is a free preview of the upcoming Africa EVs Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service. Chinese automakers are accelerating their push into Africa’s electric vehicle market, viewing the continent as one of the few remaining ...
China Retail Sales, Industrial Production Growth Slowed in October
By Peter Catterall Retail sales and factory activity in China slowed last month, official data showed Friday, highlighting the uphill battle facing authorities battling a persistent consumer malaise in the world's second-largest economy. Beijing has ...
Why China’s Ability to Make a $6 Toaster is a Big Problem for the Global South
China is breaking the rules of development. Typically, as countries progress up the value chain, they transition from agriculture to light industry, then to heavy industry, and ultimately to high-technology and services. And as they move up the value chain, this ...
China E-Mobility Weekly Digest: Training, Tensions, and Transitions as Africa’s EV Push Gains Momentum
This is a free preview of the upcoming Africa EVs Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service. Electric vehicle (EV) training is one of the major missing links when it comes to e-mobility adoption in different African ...
South Africa Fast Emerging as a Major Hub For Chinese Auto Sales and Manufacturing
Chinese automakers are ramping up their sales outreach and manufacturing operations in South Africa, Africa's dominant auto market that accounts for somewhere between a third to a half of all sales on the continent. State-owned auto giant BAIC announced it will ...
China’s Manufacturing Dominance Leave Developing Nations With Fewer Paths to Grow
Senior members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) are gathering this week in Beijing for their annual plenum where they are going to put the finishing touches on the country's next year five year plan (FYP). This will be the 15th ...
Chinese Companies Power Ethiopia’s Bid to Become Solar Manufacturing Hub
Three Chinese companies are pouring more than half a billion dollars into Ethiopia’s nascent solar manufacturing sector, underscoring Beijing’s growing role in shaping Africa’s clean energy future. Shanghai-listed CSI Solar, majority-owned by Canadian Solar Inc., plans to invest $250 ...
China’s Manufacturing Might Keep Africa Tied to Its Solar Supply Chain
China’s manufacturing dominance remains tightly bound to Africa’s struggle for energy access. The continent holds the raw materials essential for producing renewable energy technologies, yet its factories lack the scale and efficiency to compete with China’s vast industrial base. As ...
China E-Mobility Weekly Digest: Xiaomi SU7 Crash, Indian EV Maker Enters Ethiopia as Southern Africa E-Waste Grows
This is a free preview of the upcoming Africa EVs Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. The African electric vehicle landscape is changing rapidly thanks to the arrival of new companies and ...
Geely Starts Assembly in Indonesia as the U.S. and EU Tariffs Rise
Geely, the Chinese carmaker, has begun knock-down (KD) assembly in Indonesia through its unit Geely Auto Indonesia. The work is taking place at a plant in West Java. The company says building locally will shorten delivery times for Indonesian buyers. ...