China’s Vice President Han Zheng addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Along with retreads of established Chinese positions on Taiwan, Ukraine, and the Israel/Palestine conflict, his comments also provided interesting clues about China’s messaging to the Global South.
First, he called on the international community to “follow the direction of a multipolar world” with the UN at its center. I wonder how opinion within Beijing’s inner circles breaks down around the bipolarity/multipolarity issue, considering ...
Country: Namibia
Xi Holds Bilateral Meetings on the Sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg
Chinese President Xi Jinping held a flurry of sideline meetings with various Global South leaders Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg: ETHIOPIA: Xi informed PM Abiy Ahmed that China would suspend payments on all ...
Namibia Partners With Chinese Company to Build 50MW Wind Power Plant
Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) has signed power purchase and transmission connection agreements for the development of a 50MW wind power project in Lüderitz, southwestern Namibia. CERIM Lüderitz Energy, a joint venture between Riminii Investments and Energy China, will undertake the ...
Chinese Contractor Completes 105km Railway Upgrade in Namibia
China Gezhouba Group Corp (CGGC) finished a 107.5km upgrade of a rail line between the Namibian harbor Walvis Bay and the central logistics hub of Arandis on time, despite materials shortages and COVID-related delays. The upgrade doubles transport speeds on the line. ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Namibia Is Emerging as a Key Lithium Producer for the Chinese Market
Namibia is emerging as a key lithium producer for the Chinese market. In August, 25,000 tons of the strategic metal were shipped from the Port of Walvis Bay with another 50,000 tons prepped to leave later this month. Namibian authorities also want to position Walvis Bay as a ...
It’s the West’s Fault, Not Russia’s There Are Food Shortages in Africa, According to Chinese State Media
Chinese state media is promoting the narrative that the worsening food crisis in Africa is due to Western sanctions against Russia rather than because Moscow invaded a sovereign country. CGTN published a short clip on Tuesday of an ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Unpacking Han Zheng’s Messaging to the Global South at the UN General Assembly
“Chinatown is Closed! Close the Shop or We Burn the Shop Down”
A growing anti-immigrant movement in South Africa says it is now targeting not only undocumented immigrants, but even those with residency permits doing low-skilled work. Operation Dudula (“force out” in isiZulu) made clear they are campaigning against both African and Chinese undocumented workers, and ...
Don’t Shoot Your Employees and Don’t Pay Bribes Are Among the Chinese Embassy in Namibia’s Recommendations on How Expatriates Should Behave Better
The Chinese embassy in Namibia really wants its overseas compatriots who live and work in the country to improve their behavior. And to help them, the embassy this week published on its WeChat page a rather illuminating list of eight examples of recent transgressions committed by Chinese nationals in ...
Namibia is the Latest African Country That Wants to Build a Railway to the Southern DRC’s Cobalt Mining Zone
Namibia is the latest in a growing number of African countries that wants to become the gateway for Congolese cobalt and other resources. The Namibian transport ministry just completed a feasibility study for a 770km railway that will connect the southern DRC mining hub of Lumbubashi with its port ...
Four Different Chinese Ambassadors are Moving On
An unusually large number of Chinese ambassadors announced this week they will be leaving their posts in at least four African countries. It's just a coincidence that so many are happening at once and there is no indication that any of the envoys have been recalled.
China Moving Quickly to Diversify Sourcing of Strategic Minerals and Metals With New Deals Announced in Africa, Asia and LatAm
With demand for the minerals and metals used to power electric vehicles far outstripping supply, China's largest mining companies are moving quickly to diversify their sourcing strategic resources including cobalt, nickel, lithium and rare earths among others. There's been a lot ...