Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019.
The timing of the announcement that Rome won’t renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the EU-China summit, which kicks off on Thursday. The summit will likely be more contentious than usual, with European leaders expected to push China on the treatment of EU firms amid discussions ...
Country: Madagascar
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 ...
Madagascar’s Military Will Soon Learn to Say 你好 (Hello)
Officials in Madagascar's Ministry of Defense will soon have the chance to study Mandarin thanks to a new program set up by the embassy's new military office in Antananarivo. The objective of the course is to facilitate "broader, smoother and sounder communication" between the two militaries.
Why Food Security & Agriculture Issues Need to Be Atop the China-Africa Agenda
A growing number of people in Africa are facing acute shortages of food due in part to disruptions brought on by COVID, climate change, and, in some countries, conflict. Solving the problem today is not going to be easy given how ...
China To Do More to Make COVID-19 Vaccines Accessible to Developing Countries, Says Xi
President Xi Jinping told attendees of the Boao Forum taking place on China's southern Hainan Island on Tuesday that Beijing will increase the "accessibility and affordability" of vaccines for developing countries. In typical fashion, the President did ...
Health Diplomacy or Health Dependency: A Critical Assessment of China’s Health Aid to Madagascar
Historically, foreign aid projects have long been criticized for creating dependency, prompting some critics to argue that normative foreign aid should be rejected by African recipients altogether for the seemingly inevitable outcomes of increased corruption and dependency. As more than 80% ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
There's a Lot About China's Ties with Madagascar You Probably Don't Know
The Chinese population on the east African island of Madagascar defies many of the poorly-informed, albeit widely-held stereotypes about Chinese migrants on the rest of the continent. First, the community in Madagascar isn't small or isolated. In fact, the Chinese population on the island ...