CGSP Podcasts
Weekly discussions with key thought leaders about China’s engagement in Africa and the Global South.
podcast
How One Young Chinese Scholar Wants to Change Outdated Perceptions of Africa
Leo Li is a Phd candidate in African politics at China's prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. Before he returned to Beijing to continue his academic work, Leo spent years reporting from Africa for the China Daily newspaper and later as a TV reporter for ...
China's Appetite for Abalone Spurs Organized Crime in South Africa
The demand for abalone is so extreme that it is commonly referred to as "white gold" and is now the world's most valuable shellfish. Much of that demand comes from Asia, especially China, where consumers can't seem to get enough ...
New Documentary Portrays a More Nuanced View of the African Migrant Experience in China
When filmmakers Zhang Yong, Hodan Abdi and Fu Dong set out to make a new documentary on the African migrant experience in China they were determined to ensure that their own voices and experiences came through in the story. Until now, most if not ...
North Korea's Diplomats in Africa Are Making Big Money Selling Ivory to Chinese
The tightening of international sanctions against North Korea is helping to fuel the illicit ivory trade in Africa as the increasingly isolated country searches for new ways to generate revenue, according to a new report from the Global Initiative against ...
[AUDIO] Why Trump's "Nambia" Gaffe Is so Important to the China-Africa Narrative
U.S. President Donald Trump revealed deeper levels of ignorance about Africa than many thought possible during a luncheon speech this week to a group of African leaders. During his brief, 800-word speech, Trump twice mentioned the non-existent country of "Nambia." ...
[PODCAST] Africa Needs Infrastructure, China Wants to Build It. So What’s the Problem?
Africa faces a severe infrastructure crisis. Roads, ports, airports, hospitals and telecommunications are all needed to generate the economic growth necessary to support a population that is expected to double by 2050. But ...
[AUDIO] Here’s How China Is Changing Africa’s Future
Amid a surge of European and U.S. inward-looking nativist populism, the West's longstanding influence in Africa is in retreat. At the same time, China appears to be doubling-down on globalism with a trillion dollar bet called "
China's StarTimes Is Now One of Africa's Most Important Media Companies
The Beijing-based StarTimes Group is now one of Africa's most important media companies with 10 million subscribers across 30 countries. The pay TV company is leading the continent's transition from analog to digital television with some of the world's most ...
[AUDIO] Wolf Warriors 2: Why a China-Africa Blockbuster is Blowing Up the Box Office
Wolf Warriors 2 is the movie sensation of the summer in China, taking in over a record $630 million in box office receipts. The movie is so popular that is now the first non-Hollywood film to ever break in to the top ...
[AUDIO] Does It Make Sense for Africans to Learn to Speak Chinese?
Nairobi-based journalist Mark Kapchanga contends that it is time for Africans to learn to speak Chinese. In a provocative column published last month in the Chinese newspaper Global Times, Kapchanga warned that Africans are at risk of being on the losing end ...
China's 'Belt & Road' Trading Strategy Presents New Challenge to U.S. Influence in Africa
The implementation of China's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) trade agenda in Africa is now fully underway. The launch of the Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, the opening of the new navy base in Djibouti ...
China May Be a Lot of Things in Africa, but It’s NOT a Colonizer
One of the most durable narratives about the Chinese in Africa is that the PRC is now just the newest foreign country to colonize the continent. While the Europeans may have used brute force, according to this widely-held perception, the Chinese instead using money ...