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: Travel
Why Chinese Flight Attendants Love Africa Routes
The most coveted international route among China Southern Airlines crew isn’t to glamorous destinations in Europe or the United States, but to Africa, a flight attendant recently revealed on Chinese video platform Bilibili. Back in 2015, during China Southern’s peak ...
Direct Flights Between India and China Set to Resume as Part of Broader Rapprochement
A nearly five-year freeze in relations between India and China is quickly thawing ahead of a landmark visit to Tianjin later this month by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi's upcoming trip would mark his first visit to China in ...
A Crocodile Feast in Congo Brazzaville Sparks a Cultural Reckoning on Chinese Social Media
On the bustling streets of Brazzaville’s so-called “Ghost Market,” a Chinese food vlogger nicknamed Bing Shu captured what he called the “national dish of Congo”: a fresh-killed crocodile feast, right off the street-side chopping block. His wide-eyed reactions to grilled monkeys, with teeth still intact, and bubbling ...
China Eases Transit Rules for Indonesians. Jakarta Should Push for More.
China’s recent inclusion of Indonesia in its 240-hour visa-free transit program is a notable, if not entirely surprising, development. While Indonesia is now among the 55 countries benefiting from this arrangement, the move signals a step forward in the broader relationship between the two nations. For ...
China’s C919 Ramps Up Production, Aims to Break Boeing-Airbus Duopoly on Global Market
China’s homegrown C919 passenger jet is accelerating production in a bold challenge to the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, ramping up capacity amid Beijing’s broader push for aviation self-sufficiency. However, while the jet is proving reliable in domestic operations, global expansion ...
Southeast Asian Vacation Spots Wait for Chinese Tourists Who Seem More Content to Stay Home
The number of Chinese tourists that went abroad during last week’s normally bustling holiday break was significantly below pre-pandemic levels and even fell short of official forecasts, raising more concerns about the country’s tightened consumer spending. While a rare confluence of ...
Chinese Tourist Flight Given Hero’s Welcome in Cambodia
In a sign of how eager Southeast Asian countries are to welcome back Chinese visitors, the first flight from China since outbound travel resumed was given a ceremonial welcome when it landed on Tuesday in the Cambodian capital Phenom Penh. Cambodia ...
China’s Highly Selective Retribution Against Countries That Impose COVID Tests
The Chinese government on Tuesday stopped issuing short-term visas to travelers from South Korea and Japan in retaliation against COVID tests both countries imposed on Chinese visitors. The Chinese Foreign Ministry called the testing requirement for Chinese nationals "unacceptable" and "unscientific."
Chinese Arrivals Feted at Bangkok Airport
In a striking demonstration of how central Chinese tourism is to Southeast Asian economies, travelers arriving from a reopening China were literally applauded as they disembarked in Bangkok this week.
APSONIC Is Another Chinese Company That You’ve Probably Never Heard but That’s Absolutely Crushing It in Africa
A Chinese maker of motorcycles is quietly cornering the African market. While Apsonic isn’t famous, the Guangzhou company has built up an impressive presence in West Africa, after setting up shop in Togo in 2003. Now its products are buzzing through ...
Morocco Students Plead to Go Back to School… in China
Around a thousand Moroccan university students who started their studies in China but haven't been able to return since the beginning of the pandemic are pleading with the Chinese government to let them back into the country. China's borders have been ...
What Did Chinese Community Leaders in Africa Think of the Two Sessions Meeting in Beijing?
Since last Friday, Chinese news has carried wall-to-wall coverage of the Two Sessions "parliamentary pageant" in Beijing. Not surprisingly, it's been followed by Chinese expats across Africa. The Two Sessions meetings provide a rare glimpse into the ...