The Philippine coastguard called on its country’s fishing fleets to keep operating around the Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China) despite the large Chinese presence in the disputed South China Sea area.
Coastguard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said while Philippine government vessels can’t maintain a constant presence, they are committed to protecting the country’s fishing rights in what it sees as its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Category: Social Media
WEEK IN REVIEW: AU in G20 and the New “Chinese Savior” Narrative in Africa
The Chinese Foreign Ministry was among the first major governments this week to welcome the African Union as the newest member of the G20. The big question now is what will the AU do now that it has a seat at ...
Remember Those Exploitative African “Blessing Videos” on Chinese Social Media? They’re Back. This Time in the West.
It was once very easy for Chinese social media users to spend between $15 and $40 to get a bare-chested man, a scantily clad woman or even a child to do demeaning performances in short videos that were often highly exploitative.
Indonesian Middle Schooler In Hot Water With Local Authorities For Fighting Against Chinese Wood Pellet Exporter
“The road only has a capacity of five tons, but the Jambi mayor Syarif Fasha allowed up to 20 tons , exceeding and violating the regional regulation concerning road transportation,” a young girl eloquently spoke to the camera. The girl continued: “They worked together – the Chinese ...
South African Singer MOE’s Amazing Journey on China’s Top Singing Competition Comes to an End Following Show’s Cancellation
The South African singer who took China by storm earlier this month with a jaw-dropping performance on the country's most popular singing competition show, sent a note to her Chinese fans to thank them for their support following the program's abrupt cancellation.
South African Dance Craze Travels to China
South African amapiano (a style of street dance featuring languid-but-intricate moves over tense minimalist beats) has blown up internationally in no small part due to SA dancers’ strong showing on TikTok. Now Kutlwano Molefe (aka Kay the People’s Dancer), a South African ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Philippine Fishing Fleets Urged to Maintain Presence at Disputed Shoal as Tensions Build
Burundi’s “Banana Riders” Go Viral on Chinese Social Media, Triggering Memories of China’s Own Development Journey
Eric, a young Burundian, barrels down a mountain at 70km an hour with more than 200 kilos of bananas strapped to his rickety bicycle in what looks like an absolutely terrifying race to the bottom. Eric and his fellow "banana riders" ...
Tiktok Moves into E-Commerce, Music Streaming Across the Global South
Bytedance, the parent company of the Chinese social media giant TikTok, is racing to expand its business into e-commerce and other fields, in a bid to mimic the success of other Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein. The platform’s TikTok Shop, which allows ...
Report: Suspected Chinese State-Backed Disinformation Campaign Targeting Latin America Detected
Suspected Chinese state-backed entities launched a series of Twitter accounts to disseminate pro-China messaging to audiences in several Latin American countries, including Paraguay, Costa Rica, Chile and Brazil, among others, according to the findings in a new report published by the U.S.-based cyber intelligence firm Nisos.
Anti-Chinese Campaign on Nigerian Twitter Raises Questions
Readers following West Africa-China relations will know that unhappiness about Chinese involvement in small-scale mining is ongoing, especially in Ghana. However, a new campaign on Nigerian Twitter under the tag #STOPCHINESEILLEGALMINING is raising all kinds of questions. First, a significant number of the ...
Chinese Embassy in Nigeria Refutes Times (UK) Story That Claimed “Beijing is Indirectly Funding Terrorism”
The Chinese embassy in Abuja denounced a report published last weekend in The Times (UK) newspaper that alleged Chinese companies are bribing militants for access to mineral reserves in northern Nigeria. The embassy said the report by the paper's West Africa correspondent ...