Category: Oil

China’s Low-Key Response to the Iran Crisis

China was among the first and most vocal opponents of the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro. Curiously, though, when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to launch military strikes against Iran as Tehran dealt with ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Debt and the Anti-Government Revolt in Kenya

Protestors in Kenya this week expressed fury against the government and the IMF but interestingly made no mention of China during an unprecedented uprising in Nairobi. It's notable because the Kenyan Treasury spends more money to service its Chinese loans than ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: China in the Sahel | ChatGPT’s take on China-Africa

China somehow managed to get the oil flowing between Niger and Benin this week amid a bitter dispute between the two West African countries that had briefly shut down the pipeline. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud ...

China’s Role in Re-Energizing the South Sudan Peace Process

South Sudan marked its tenth anniversary this month as an independent country. Regrettably, though, after a decade of civil war and divided government that has left at least 400,000 people dead and displaced a third of the population, there isn't much ...

China’s Growing Influence in the Mideast & Persian Gulf

China is steadily reducing its dependence on African oil suppliers who once accounted for a third of Chinese crude imports. Today, China buys more oil from Saudia Arabia than any other country in the world. From 2019 to 2020,

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Confusing Developments in “Development”

This week I’m in Brussels, where I took part in a workshop on how the EU should shape its development strategy in response to China’s global influence.
I have joked in the past that it feels like I’ve attended this same ‘EU, Africa, and External Development Partners’ conference for ten years straight. 

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Q&A: Niger Shrinks Nature Reserve for Chinese Oil Exploration

Welcome to the first edition of China-Africa Q&A, a new podcast series that will feature interviews with key stakeholders in the China-Africa discourse. We’ll publish these podcasts intermittently and, as always, welcome your feedback. In ...

Angola: China's Risky Gamble in Africa

China has loaned Angola an estimated $60 billion dollars since the two countries established diplomatic relations back in 1983, making it one of the top destinations for Chinese financing in Africa. Angola is especially attractive for the Chinese because of its ...

China's Risky Oil Strategy in Africa's Sahel Region

Chad is one of the poorest, most corrupt and, increasingly, one of the most volatile countries in Africa. A recent wave of suicide bombings, allegedly orchestrated by Boko Haram, killed 36 and ...
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