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China’s Tech Push Reshapes Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Fields, Bringing Big Gains and Bigger Risks

Claude Kaharo stands outside his traditional tobacco curing barn in Marondera, Mashonaland East, watching smoke billow from the thatched structure. Black scorch marks covering the circular hut are evidence of the countless wood-burning curing sessions he has managed over nearly a decade of farming. Now 56, the ...

China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Unit to Build 70 MW Solar Plant to Power Lithium Processing in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe-based Prospect Lithium, a unit of Chinese mining giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, announced that it will begin construction on a new 70 megawatt off-grid solar facility that will be used to power early-stage lithium processing. The company invested $400 million to build ...

Shooting at Chinese-Run Mine in Zimbabwe Rekindles Tensions With Local Communities

Tensions between the Chinese business community and local residents in eastern Zimbabwe are boiling in the aftermath of a shooting earlier this month at a Chinese-run mine. The incident took place on October 9th at a mine owned by Zhuhe ...

Powering Africa: China’s Expanding Role in the Continent’s Energy Future

This report, authored by International Development expert Dr. Frangton Chiyemura, examines the scale and significance of Chinese-backed energy projects across Africa. From solar parks in Mali to massive hydropower dams in Zambia, it explains how these initiatives are distributed, why they matter, and what they mean ...

China Tests Zimbabwe’s Lithium Ambitions With $400 Million Huayou Cobalt Plant

Chinese mining and battery giant Huayou Cobalt is close to completing a $400 million lithium sulphate processing plant in Zimbabwe, the first of its kind on the continent, underscoring its commitment to supporting the country’s efforts to climb the global battery supply chain.

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The Pain of Un-Polarity

“THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!”
This post by U.S. President Donald Trump in the run-up to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week may end up leaving a more lasting mark than the actual summit he attended.

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China’s Battery Breakthroughs May Leave Some Developing Countries Behind

Chinese researchers and firms are accelerating the race towards the next generation of battery technologies, and this will undoubtedly reshape the fortunes of countries heavily reliant on cobalt and nickel exports.  Today, most electric vehicles utilize lithium-ion batteries that are made ...

China Rejects U.S. Commander’s Comments on South American Influence

On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected comments by the head of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees South America, that China is exporting authoritarianism to the region. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsley visited Argentina last week for the South American Defense Conference, ...

In Zimbabwe, China’s EV Mineral Hunt Sparks Both Hope and Unease

When Chinese battery materials giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt acquired the Arcadia Lithium Mine for $422 million in 2021, Zimbabwe saw an opportunity to claim its share in the global electric vehicle supply chain table. Located 38 kilometers east of Harare, the project was billed as a ...

Why Students From China Are Picking Malaysia Over Traditional Destinations

By Koh Sin Yee Since at least 2019, China has become Malaysia’s top source of international students, overtaking traditional sources such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan. In 2023, a total of 44,043 Chinese students constituted 

A Rosy Road Ahead? Chinese Documentary on EVs in Thailand Arrives as Doubts Mount

Framed like a hopeful road trip into Thailand’s EV future, Auto Roam is a glossy branded documentary by Chinese automotive media Autohome, following a diverse cast of local EV adopters to portray how Chinese electric vehicles are reshaping everyday life in Thailand. Slick, upbeat, and unmistakably ...

China Corners the Market on a Little-Known but Crucial Tech Mineral

A Chinese mining and materials giant, Sinomine Resource Group, is ramping up its dominance in the critical minerals sector, with a $400 million investment in Zimbabwe for the construction of the world’s second cesium smelting plant.   The move positions Sinomine ...

Q&A: China’s ‘Feeling the Stones’ Approach to African Security Takes Shape

Chinese military engagement in Africa is rapidly expanding across all fronts. From peacekeeping deployments and military training programs to private security firms and dual-use infrastructure, Beijing’s approach to African security is layered, evolving, and at times opaque. But it's not clear if there's a grand strategy at ...
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