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: Fellows
The Perception Problem: Why Central Asians Remain Skeptical of Chinese Investment
Over the past decade, China has poured billions into the Central Asian countries, financing infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, and digital technologies, while presenting itself as a reliable development partner. Central Asian governments, eager for investment and diversification, have embraced China as a strategic ally in trade and ...
China-Central Asia Weekly News: New Seaport Development, BYD Battery Localization in Uzbekistan, and Healthcare Cooperation
This is a free preview of the upcoming Critical Minerals Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in 2026. Chinese engagement with Central Asia is advancing through a combination of transport infrastructure development, automotive industry expansion, and medical ...
China and LAC at Odds: Blue Diplomacy in the Era of IUU Fishing
In China’s engagement with the Global South, climate diplomacy is one area where Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries play a particularly decisive role. The Global South is set to be disproportionately affected by climate change, yet its governments must negotiate solutions with the world’s largest emitters—China ...
China-Central Asia Weekly News: Managing Friction, Sanctions, and Local Benefits
This is a free preview of the upcoming Critical Minerals Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in 2026. Chinese engagement in Central Asia is facing several friction points that highlight the social and geopolitical complexities behind its ...
Navigating the Second China Shock
Like climate change or runaway AI risks, China’s swelling manufacturing capacity is a global challenge faced by middle and high-income economies alike. Trade tensions already dominate EU-China relations, and concerns over China’s manufacturing capacity are rising across the Global South. In ...
From Blueprint to Power Plant: Lessons from Chinese Power Projects in Africa
After tracing the arc from planning to procurement, financing to construction, this final installment in Part 1 of The Porcelain Jar at the End of the Rainbow pauses to reflect. What have we learned, not just about China’s engagement in Africa’s power sector, but about the systems, choices, and ...
Balancing Giants: APEC, the Pacific Alliance, and Latin America’s Quest for Strategic Autonomy
The 2025 APEC Summit, held in early November in Gyeongju, South Korea, came to a close with a hopeful image: a renewed spirit of dialogue between the United States and China following a bilateral meeting between President Trump and President Xi.
Reexporting the Revolution: Kyrgyzstan’s Strategic Role in China’s Electric Vehicle Expansion
Like its Central Asian neighbors Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan is rapidly emerging as a major export market for Chinese automakers, both for traditional and electric vehicles. This surge comes amid tightening restrictions in Western markets on Chinese exports, pushing Chinese manufacturers to deepen their presence across Eurasia. ...
Swapping Sides: How a U.S. Bailout Could Shift Argentina’s Geostrategic Compass
Since day one of the Trump administration, the United States has sought to reassert its presence and tighten its influence in Latin America. In doing so, Washington is working to push back against what it perceives as China’s growing preeminence in the region — a rise made ...
China Wins Observer Seat in Andean Bloc, Expanding Its Latin American Diplomacy
In late September 2025, the Andean Community (CAN, for its acronym in Spanish) granted observer status to China, marking Beijing’s latest diplomatic advance into a sub-regional body of Latin America and the Caribbean. Access to the CAN is part of ...
Building Better: What Shapes the Success of Chinese-Supported Power Projects?
After months, sometimes years, of negotiations, feasibility studies, and financial structuring, shovels hit the ground and concrete is poured. But the final outcome of a power project is not just a function of engineering inputs or Chinese execution. It also ...
Mapping Power Plants: What China’s Energy Footprint in Africa Tells Us
Over the last two decades, China has moved from the periphery to the very center of Africa’s power sector story. It has done so not quietly, but with the kind of scale, speed, and scope that makes it impossible to ignore. And yet, for all the attention ...
Digital Silk Road 2.0: How China Is Shaping Central Asia’s AI Ecosystem
The race for artificial intelligence supremacy is now global. As the United States and China compete to define the future of AI, their rivalry increasingly shapes how they engage with the rest of the world. Washington leans on alliances and export ...
Inside the Bid: How Chinese Power Projects Are Procured in Africa
Behind every power plant is a crucial decision: who gets to build it, and how. Whether a project is delivered on time and on budget often hinges on how it was procured. Was it awarded through a competitive bidding process or negotiated behind closed doors? Were contractors ...