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.
Country: Burundi
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" ...
Chinese Contractors Complete Burundi’s First New Power Plant in 30 Years
Chinese engineers completed the first phase of the Hujibazi Hydropower Station in Burundi, the country's first new power generation facility in 30 years. This project was financed as an aid initiative and when fully operational later this summer it will generate 15,000 kilowatts of electricity. (CHINA DAILY -- in ...
Chinese Vaccine Shipments to Africa Slow But More Deliveries Going to Sub-Saharan Countries
China shipped just a million doses of COVID vaccines last week to countries in Africa, according to the latest data from Bridge Consulting's Vaccine Tracker Report, a sizable drop from the usual 2-3 million jabs that go to countries across the continent. It's not ...
Burundi Takes Delivery of Its First Shipment of Chinese COVID Vaccines
Once a holdout on the COVID-19 vaccination front, Burundi is now accepting vaccine donations from countries around the world, including China. A batch of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm arrived last week in the economic hub of Bujumbura. The shipment, $3 million ...
One Week Later, Burundi Shows the Statement That It Published in Support of China’s Controversial New Election Law in Hong Kong
Burundi's official press agency published a flurry of tweets today in both English and French that provide new details on a statement that the government released one week ago in support of China's controversial new election law in Hong Kong.
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Philippine Fishing Fleets Urged to Maintain Presence at Disputed Shoal as Tensions Build
Why Would Burundi Endorse China’s Controversial New Election Law in Hong Kong?
The small landlocked East African country of Burundi reportedly felt so strongly about China's controversial new election law for Hong Kong that it published an enthusiastic endorsement of the legislation and praised Beijing's "wisdom to ensure the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong ...
Tanzania’s Drive to Become Regional Transport Hub Gets Boost From New SGR Deals With Burundi, DRC
Tanzania Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe signed agreements with both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi to link up their future Standard Gauge Railway lines to Tanzania's proposed SGR. The 1,457km Tanzanian SGR line will connect inland East Africa from ...
Tweet of the Day: China’s Consul General in Johannesburg was Impressed by the Big Boss’ Drumming Skills
Chinese Consul General Tang Zhongdong admired Wang Yi's drumming talents before the Foreign Minister boarded his plane at the Bujumbura International Airport in Burundi where he wrapped up his six-nation African ...
China Promotes Burundi to “All-Weather Friend”
One of the highlights of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's trip to Burundi was the announcement that Beijing had classified the government there as an "All-Weather Friend." While this may not be an official diplomatic designation, it's nonetheless an important status within the Chinese diplomatic lexicon.
Why Wang Yi’s Boring, Uneventful Tour of Africa Was So Important
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on his way back home today after wrapping a busy weekend visiting three African countries to wrap up his latest African tour. He also made an unscheduled stop in Nairobi. For all intents and purposes, ...