Today is a public holiday in South Africa – Human Rights Day. There’s a certain irony in spending the day focusing on China’s President Xi Jinping’s visit to Vladimir Putin, knee-deep in a human rights disaster.
What one makes of the Ukraine crisis increasingly maps on where one lives. This is made clear by a remarkable new set of polling data recently published by the European Council on Foreign Relations ...
Category: Media
Reporting Tips for African Journalists Covering China
Reporting on China is difficult even for the most experienced journalist who's spent years living there and speaks the language. So, it's not surprising that reporters in Africa who've had limited exposure to the country often struggle to cover China-related news. ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Xi Bets on Global South in Moscow
Chinese Blockbuster Wandering Earth II Extends Africa Release With Premiere in Egypt
The Chinese sci-fi spectacle, The Wandering Earth II, is slowly turning into a global blockbuster. The film debuted to enthusiastic audiences in Egypt after getting similarly positive responses in other African countries, including South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique.
Iran-Saudi Pact Marks China’s Debut as Great Power Diplomatic Player
Friday's news that China brokered the final stage of a diplomatic détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia triggered a torrent of analysis in major news publications around the world. From Asia to the Middle East to the United States, two consistent ...
Iran-Saudi Arabia Deal Sparks National Pride on Chinese Social Media Platforms
There wasn't a huge response on Chinese social media to the news that Beijing facilitated the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran given that it's a pretty esoteric topic for most people. Nonetheless, there was some discussion on ...
The China Debt Story in Nigeria Makes Headlines Even When It Shouldn’t
Nigeria marked an important milestone this week when its total public debt topped 49 trillion naira or $108 billion. Curiously, the editors at the popular online news site Legit thought that the country's $4.15 billion debt to China was worth mentioning in the story's headline.
Chinese Sci-Fi Blockbuster Wandering Earth 2 to Open in Southern Africa
The Chinese movie hit "Wandering Earth 2" will open next week in four southern African countries beginning with South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe on March 10th, followed by Zambia the week after. The science fiction blockbuster has already taken in $566 million ...
Ugandan Food Vlogger in Rural China Becomes Unlikely Social Media Star
30-year Ugandan immigrant Rose is now a full-fledged social media star on China's TikTok equivalent Douyin. Now, with more than a million followers and almost 200 million likes, Rose (who doesn't reveal her last name) has become one of China's most popular food vloggers. ...
FT Report Provokes Strong Response From U.S., UK Analysts Over China’s Duel With Multilateral Development Banks
FT’s claim (subsequently walked back) that the Zambian Finance Minister rejected China’s call to include the World Bank and other multilateral lenders in debt restructuring triggered responses from prominent commentators across Twitter. The reactions give an interesting glimpse ...
China Leverages African Media Outlets to Hit Back on Debt
Emerging Chinese government messaging on debt is now showing up in African publications via state-owned media outlets like Xinhua. This comes as Beijing is increasingly focusing on the role of Western lenders in Global South debt distress. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? China ...
U.S. Panic About Chinese Land Grabs Echoes Africa
Recent reports in the right-leaning press in the United States claim that China is escalating purchases of American farms. This drumbeat is partly in support of the proposed Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) act. The bipartisan measure would block investments ...
Dubious Rumor Spreading On Pakistani Twitter Xi Jinping Will Soon Visit
Unsubstantiated rumors started to spread on Pakistani Twitter over the weekend that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the country and, more specifically, inaugurate a new Chinese-built airport in the port city of Gwadar. There's good reason to ...