CGSP Podcasts
Weekly discussions with key thought leaders about China’s engagement in Africa and the Global South.
podcast
China's Special Economic Zones in Africa: Lots of Hype, Little Hope
A decade ago China announced it would develop a series of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Africa to boost trade and industrialization. Given the phenomenal success of China's SEZs that helped to spark the PRC's three-decades of history-making economic growth, not ...
China's Role in Africa's "Looting Machine"
China goes to great lengths to differentiate its engagement in Africa from the continent's former European colonizers by emphasizing so-called "win-win development." Chinese leaders regularly visit Africa where they emphatically reject the accusation of neo-colonialism and that Beijing is only interested in exploiting the ...
U.S. Not Concerned About Chinese Competition in Africa… But It Probably Should Be
The difference between the U.S. and Chinese foreign policies in Africa was on stark display in July when president Barack Obama made his landmark visits to Kenya and Ethiopia. The president brought along with him a vast agenda that transcended trade, ...
A Kenyan Columnist's Provocative Views on the Chinese in Africa
In Mark Kapchanga's view, the West, particularly the media, really don't understand what the Chinese are doing in Africa. Kapchanga, a provocative Nairobi-based journalist and columnist, isn't shy in arguing his case that on balance China's presence in Africa is net ...
Should Africa Follow Asia's Path to Economic Prosperity?
Author John Akhile, Sr. argues in his new book "Unleashed" that if Asia's so-called 'Tiger economies' did it, so can Africa. By leveraging the continent’s agricultural potential, minerals, raw materials, and low-cost labor, Akhile thinks that using these resources Africans can ...
China's Rapidly Changing Views on Wildlife Conservation in Africa
A dramatic shift in Chinese public opinion about animal welfare and global wildlife conservation appears to be underway. Supported by high-profile celebrity campaigns by NBA legend Yao Ming and actress Li Bing Bing, ...
China, Africa and the Indian Ocean: A New Balance of Power
For centuries the Indian Ocean was a vital conduit in the British empire, connecting colonies in South Asia with Africa as part of a vast imperial network. Today, the Indian Ocean once again plays as a vital role in an emerging global trading empire, ...
[AUDIO] China's Expanding Military Presence in Africa
China is steadily expanding its military footprint in Africa, highlighted by the recent deployment of 700 combat-ready troops to join a multinational peacekeeping operation in South Sudan. In all, the People's Liberation Army and Navy now have an estimated 2,700 soldiers, ...
China Starts to Play Nice with Foreign Aid Partners
New research from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in China indicates Beijing is starting to be more open about its international aid programs. If so, this would mark a significant change from the past where the Chinese government was often criticized for its ...
South Africa Tourism in Crisis as Chinese Reject New Visa Regulations
South Africa's tourism sector is in crisis as a series of new visa regulations have prompted dramatic falls in arrivals, particularly from the world's largest source of tourists: China. The number of Chinese visitors to South ...
China's Controversial Technology Partnership with South Africa
The Chinese and South Africa governments have signed a pact, or a "plan of action," where Beijing will provide a broad array of technology training, skills transfer and ICT development for South Africa's emerging technology sector. The ...
China's Proposed Ivory Ban: Breakthrough or BS?
China's surprise announcement that it will phase out the trade and manufacturing of ivory came as a rare piece of good news for Africa's rapidly shrinking elephant population. While most major international wildlife groups welcomed Beijing's new ...