CGSP Podcasts
Weekly discussions with key thought leaders about China’s engagement in Africa and the Global South.
podcast
A Chinese Perspective on the African “Debt Trap” Debate
Aside from the politicians who attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing earlier this, seemingly few others were pleased to hear that China is providing Africa with another massive $60 billion package of loans and grants.
Environmental Issues Force Their Way Onto China-Africa Agenda
Environmental and conservation issues have long been secondary priorities in the Sino-African relationship, lagging far behind economic development. Pollution, over-fishing, poaching and other ecological problems were all seen as the necessary downsides of economic modernization. Now, however, mounting public pressure on leaders from both ...
Have We Reached Peak China-Africa?
The 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing wrapped up last week with the expected fanfare following the announcement that the Chinese provide another $60 billion financial package. While that $60 billion figure was the same as the amount ...
Chinese Money for African Infrastructure Likely to Top FOCAC Agenda
There is a lot on the agenda for the upcoming 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit that will convene in Beijing on September 3. Leaders from 50 African states will be in town to discuss everything from enhanced Sino-African military ties, ...
Green Issues Likely Sidelined at Upcoming China-Africa Summit
Environmental issues no longer appear to be a top priority in the China-Africa dialogue. While there have been a lot of discussions about health, military and media issues in the run-up to next month's FOCAC summit, there's been little to no mention of wildlife ...
Is This Really the Best Time for a China-Africa Summit?
Longtime China-Africa analyst and University of Pretoria Phd candidate Yushan Wu joins Eric & Cobus for a lively discussion on whether it still makes sense for China to put on big, fancy and very expensive mega summits with African ...
Previewing the Upcoming FOCAC Summit Through the Media's Lens
With the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit now just weeks away, international press coverage of the event is now ramping up. Over the past several weeks, Eric & Cobus have done a number of interviews with journalists around the world about what ...
An Insider’s View of the China-Africa “Debt Trap” Debate
The issue of whether African countries are taking on too much Chinese debt is often positioned in the West as some kind of choice as if Africa policymakers prefer to take loans from the Chinese rather than Western governments or international organizations like the ...
New Generation of China-Africa Scholars is Younger and More Diverse
It wasn't that long ago when most China-Africa scholars were white professors based in European or U.S. universities. That is no longer true anymore. A recent academic conference in Brussels showcased the new face of Sino-African academia that is younger, more ethnically and geographically ...
China-Africa Policy Analysts Gather in Beijing for FOCAC Think Tank Forum
In the run-up to September's Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing, the Chinese government is sponsoring a series of forums to bring together different sectors.Last month, hundreds of journalists and African media leaders from 42 countries were in Beijing to ...
A U.S. View on China’s So-Called “Debtbook” Diplomacy Agenda
For the past year or so, senior U.S. government officials been accusing China of engaging in so-called “debtbook” diplomacy, a tactic that Washington contends intentionally burdens developing countries with billions of dollars of loans. When these countries, many of them some of ...
China Now a Major Player in the African Aid Business
China has spent an estimated $400 billion on foreign aid and development since 2000, making it one of the largest donor countries in the world. Much of that money has been directed at Africa, home to seven of the top ...