Today is a public holiday in South Africa – Human Rights Day. There’s a certain irony in spending the day focusing on China’s President Xi Jinping’s visit to Vladimir Putin, knee-deep in a human rights disaster.
What one makes of the Ukraine crisis increasingly maps on where one lives. This is made clear by a remarkable new set of polling data recently published by the European Council on Foreign Relations ...
Country: Namibia
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 ...
“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 ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Xi Bets on Global South in Moscow
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 ...
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 ...
Uganda’s Parliament Considering New Law to Bolster Local Construction Companies Against Chinese Competition
The Ugandan parliament is considering a bill proposed by infrastructure minister Katumba Wamala that would provide sanctuary to local construction companies when bidding for smaller road contracts. Although China was not mentioned in the proposed legislation specifically, it's widely ...
Namibian Opposition Leader: “Chinese Must Respect Us”
Tensions between Chinese companies and local labor unions have been simmering all year and now it appears the issue is escalating into a charged political attack against the government for not doing enough to protect worker rights. "People are ...