Live Feed

The News Feed is curated by CGSP’s editors in Asia and Africa.

Philippines, China to Boost Communication Lines on Sea Disputes

China Coast Guard vessels deploying water cannons at the Philippine military chartered Unaizah May 4 (R) during its supply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on March 5, 2024. JAM STA ROSA / AFP
The Philippines and China have agreed to raise the number of communication channels that can be used to resolve maritime spats, a diplomatic source told AFP on Wednesday. Manila and Beijing have a ...
by Agence France-Presse

Chinese Phone Brands Benefit From Reduced Inflation in Global South, Shipments Jump 12%

wWorldwide Smartphone Shipment Market Share, top vendors Q1 2021 TO Q2 2024
Shipments of mobile phones around the world increased by 12% in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2023, according to new data by the market research firm ...
by Eric Olander

Chinese Shift in Battery Manufacturing Could Have a Major Impact on Nickel, Cobalt Exporting Countries

Image via Ford Motor Company
China’s nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery output in June fell 6.8% year-on-year, marking the straight month of declining production. NCM batteries are widely used in electric vehicles in the U.S. and Europe, but less so ...
by Eric Olander

China Props up Solomon Islands’ Budget With $20 Million Injection

Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele (R) attends a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 12, 2024. Vincent Thian / POOL / AFP
The Solomon Islands will prop up its government budget with a $20 million injection from China, the developing Pacific state said Tuesday, as Beijing looks to strengthen its strategic foothold in the region. ...
by Agence France-Presse

Beijing Launches Media Counterattack on Anniversary of South China Sea Tribunal Ruling

Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, speaking with a CGTN media worker aboard a ship in the South China Sea. Image via CGTN.
Last week, we marked the eighth anniversary of the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to validate the ...
by Cobus van Staden

China Says Wants to Facilitate Palestinian ‘Reconciliation’

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian. ICHIRO OHARAYomiuriThe Yomiuri Shimbun via AFP
China on Tuesday expressed willingness to facilitate “reconciliation” between rival Palestinian factions after Fatah said its officials would meet in Beijing this month with Hamas counterparts. Fatah’s central committee deputy secretary general Sabri ...
by Agence France-Presse

Hamas and Palestinian Rivals Fatah to Meet in Beijing: Officials

Palestinians lift flags during a rally marking the 59th anniversary of the Fatah movement foundation in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on December 31, 2023. Zain JAAFAR / AFP
Senior officials from the rival Palestinian groups Hamas, which is at war with Israel, and Fatah have agreed to meet in Beijing this month in a renewed bid for reconciliation, officials said Monday. ...
by Agence France-Presse

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio Wants to Use Massive Tariffs to Unseat China’s Dominance in Critical Resources

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio speaks during a campaign rally for former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Doral, Florida, on July 9, 2024. Giorgio Viera / AFP
U.S. Senator and Republican party vice presidential hopeful Marco Rubio submitted legislation this month that aims to break China’s current control of critical mineral supply chains with punishing tariffs up to 800%. Rubio’s 
by Eric Olander

China, Russia Conduct Joint Pacific Military Patrol

China and Russia conducted a joint naval patrol in the northern and western Pacific, Beijing’s defense ministry said Sunday. The ministry added that the exercise was not “targeted” at any other nation. The ...
by Agence France-Presse

China Exports Rise but Imports Slump in June

By Sébastien Ricci and Luna Lin China’s exports rose sharply in June while imports declined unexpectedly, official figures showed Friday, in further evidence that the world’s second-largest economy is charting an uneven recovery. ...
by Agence France-Presse

Philippines to ‘Stand Our Ground’ in South China Sea Dispute

Philippine Coast Guard personnel filming a China Coast Guard vessel during a supply mission in disputed waters of the South China Sea. JAM STA ROSA / AFP
By Cecil Morella The Philippines will “stand our ground” in a dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea, a top security official said Friday, eight years after an international ruling against China ...
by Agence France-Presse

China Building More Wind, Solar Capacity Than Rest of World Combined: Report

Workers installing solar panels at the Ningxia Tengger Desert New Energy Base in Zhongwei, in China’s northern Ningxia region. STR/AFP
By Matthew Walsh China is building almost twice as much wind and solar energy capacity as every other country combined, research published Thursday showed.
by Agence France-Presse

Myanmar Ethnic Armed Group Claims Control of Town on Key Highway to China

Myanmar ethnic minority fighters said Wednesday they had seized a town along a key trade highway to China following days of clashes, in another blow to the military. Northern Shan state has been ...
by Agence France-Presse

Chinese-Built Dam Offers Hope in Kenya

The entrance to the Thwake Dam in Southern Kenya. The dam is Thwake dam is meant to provide a steady water supply boosting food security in this region. Photo / Njenga Hakeenah / CGSP

The building of the Thwake multipurpose dam began in 2018 and has nurtured hopes that food security will be achieved in the village.

The dam is designed to provide water for drinking, irrigation and 20 megawatts of hydropower. Despite delays, it looks likely to be completed this year, according to an engineer involved in the project.

by Daniel Kipchumba

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

How to Lure Chinese Financing Back to the Global South: Report

Global South countries face increasing financing pressure, endangering their ability to keep developing while also implementing measures to deal with a growing climate crisis. The disruption of global trade is coupled with a larger megatrend: flows of international capital to the developing world have turned negative. This means that countries are now routinely paying more to service loans than they receive in disbursements.

The vast majority of Global South borrowers ...

Singapore State Investor Temasek Focuses on U.S. After China ‘Underperformance’

Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via AFP
Singapore state investor Temasek, one of the world’s top funds, said on Tuesday it would prioritize investments in the United States after the “underperformance” of Chinese capital markets over the past year. Temasek ...
by Agence France-Presse

China’s BYD Signs Deal to Open Electric Car Plant in Turkey

Pedro PARDO / AFP
China’s electric vehicle giant BYD on Monday signed a one-billion-dollar agreement with Turkey to open a plant in the country in a move that would help it dodge new EU tariffs. The signing ...
by Agence France-Presse

Xi Calls on World Powers to Help Russia, Ukraine ‘Resume Direct Dialogue’

A man watches a large screen showing news coverage of China's President Xi Jinping meeting Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Beijing on July 8, 2024. Pedro Pardo / AFP
By James Edgar Chinese President Xi Jinping told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday that world powers should help Russia and Ukraine re-start direct negotiations during a visit to Beijing branded a ...
by Agence France-Presse

Philippines and Japan Sign Key Defense Pact

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa (centre L) shakes hands with her Philippines counterpart Enrique Manalo (centre R), while Philippines Secretary of Defence Gilberto Teodoro (R) and Japan's Defence Minister Minoru Kihara (L) look on, after a joint press conference in Manila on July 8, 2024. Ted ALJIBE / AFP
The Philippines and Japan signed a key defense pact on Monday that will allow the deployment of troops on each other’s territory as they boost ties in the face of China’s growing assertiveness. ...
by Agence France-Presse

El Niño Triggers Food Crisis in Southern Africa

Farmers check the growth of maize in drought-hit fields in Macheke, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe in this March 10, 2019 photo. A severe drought has currently decimated crops leaving many people at risk of hunger. Photo / Shaun Jusa / Alamy

The brutal drought has been brought on primarily by El Niño. This natural, recurring weather phenomenon raises surface temperatures across parts of the Pacific Ocean. These warmer patches impact weather patterns globally, including by lowering rain levels in Southern Africa.

by Andrew Viano

Top Myanmar General in China for Official Visit: Junta

File image of Chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) Yawd Serk (L) and Myanmar's Military Vice Senior General Soe Win. AFP / Thet Aung
The Myanmar junta’s second-in-command arrived in China on Saturday for an official visit, the junta’s information team said, as clashes with ethnic minority fighters raged in the north of the country despite a ...
by Agence France-Presse

China’s Xi Congratulates Iran’s Pezeshkian on Election Win

An Iranian man reads the news on his cellphone with an image of winning presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, as he waits for his train at a metro station in Tehran on July 6, 2024, the day after the nation held presidential elections. RAHEB HOMAVANDI / AFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday congratulated reformist Masoud Pezeshkian for his win in Iran’s presidential runoff election, state media reported. “I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations and am ...
by Agence France-Presse

Chinese “Simba” Dedicates Life to Wildlife Conservation in Kenya

Simba Qiang Zhuo inspecting a lion-proof boma at the Maasai Mara in Narok, Kenya. Photo / Simba Qiang Zhuo

To reduce wildlife-human conflict, Simba came up with “predator bomas” which are 20 square meter cages that protect livestock from lions, hyenas and other carnivores. The funds for these bomas are provided by Simba’s partners from around the world, including the Chinese community in Kenya.

With the cages, Simba added that they do not get many conflicts.

by Njenga Hakeenah

China’s Xi Pledges Support for Tajikistan ‘Territorial Integrity’

China's President Xi Jinping attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states leaders' summit in Astana on July 4, 2024. Sergei SAVOSTYANOV / POOL / AFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping promised on Friday to defend the “territorial integrity” of Tajikistan as he announced a boost to diplomatic relations with the neighboring country on a rare visit. Xi arrived in the Tajik ...
by Agence France-Presse

WEEK IN REVIEW: South Africa introduced a 10% tariff on all imported solar panels, cells, and modules, most of which come from China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Kazakstan and Tajikistan this week during a five-day tour that begins on Tuesday.  Xi will also attend a two-day leaders summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that begins on ...
by Eric Olander

China Confirms Citizens Dead, Missing After DR Congo Attack

China confirmed Thursday that an armed attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left several of its citizens dead or missing. Local sources told AFP on Wednesday that a militia attack on ...
by Eric Olander

Philippines Hopes to Sign Key Defense Pact With Japan

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner speaks during a press conference after a command conference with Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (not pictured) at the military headquarters in Manila on July 4, 2024. Ted ALJIBE / AFP
Pam Castro The Philippines’ military chief said Thursday he hoped a key defense pact with Japan allowing for the deployment of troops on each other’s territory would be signed at security talks next ...
by Agence France-Presse

China’s BYD Opens EV Plant in Thailand Despite Slowdown, Tariff Row

A BYD Sealion car by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD is seen at the Bangkok International Motor Show in Nonthaburi on March 27, 2024. Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP
By Damon Wake China’s electric vehicle giant BYD opened a factory in Thailand on Thursday, continuing its international expansion despite a market slowdown and hours before the European Union was due to impose ...
by Agence France-Presse

Putin and Xi Advance Anti-West Alliance at Central Asian Summit

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states leaders' summit in Astana on July 3, 2024. Pavel Volkov / POOL / AFP
The leaders of China and Russia on Thursday urged their allies and partners to resist malign external influence, advancing their shared anti-Western agenda at a regional summit in Central Asia. Russian President Vladimir ...
by Agence France-Presse

Putin, Xi Vie for Influence at Central Asian Summit

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states leaders' summit in Astana on July 3, 2024. Sergei SAVOSTYANOV / POOL / AFP
The leaders of Russia and China were in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a regional summit, seeking to harden anti-Western alliances and press their influence in the strategic Central Asian region. Russian President Vladimir ...
by Agence France-Presse

Beijing’s South China Sea Duel With the Philippines is a “Dress Rehearsal” for Taiwan, Says Former (and Possibly Future) Trump Aide

Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger proposed a much more forceful response to China's actions in the South China Sea during a lecture at The Heritage Foundation on July 2, 2024. Image via The Heritage Foundation.
Matt Pottinger, one of conservative Washington’s most outspoken China hawks, called for a much more forceful U.S. response to the ongoing territorial disputes between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea.
by Eric Olander
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