CGSP Podcasts
Weekly discussions with key thought leaders about China’s engagement in Africa and the Global South.
New Era of Chinese Manufacturing in South Africa Begins
South African president Jacob Zuma personally oversaw the opening of the First Automative Works (FAW) factory in Port Elizabeth, China's single largest investment in the country. The new production facility comes at an opportune time for South Africa as BMW, GM and other car-makers ...
China Fast Becoming South Africa's New Best Friend
No where in Africa is China's engagement more comprehensive than it is in South Africa. China Inc. has set up shop throughout SA for manufacturing, finance and as the continent's valuable consumer market. In turn, South Africa is now becoming so reliant on its ...
China's Trade Unions Think They Can Help Africa
It's a bit counterintuitive to think that a country supposedly run by a communist workers party would be so hostile to labor unions, which is the case in China. Although there are no independent Chinese unions and the few official unions there are do ...
China's Most Famous Economist Has a Few Suggestions for Africa
In the staid world of economics, Justin Yifu Lin is the closest one comes to being a bonafide celebrity. Lin is the former chief economist of the World Bank and, more importantly, among the lead architects of China's three-decade-long economic renaissance that has produced ...
Terrorism: U.S. & China's Common Enemy in Africa
While US and Chinese interests often have divergent interests in Africa, they do share at least one common enemy: terrorism. Chinese nationals have been kidnapped and held for ransom in a number of African countries including South Sudan, Egypt and now in Cameroon where ...
Sino-Africa Marriages in China: 'Til Death Do Us Part?'
A marriage boom of sorts is underway in China where a growing number of African men are tying the knot with Chinese women. While these new families are breaking long-held cultural stereotypes, they are also confronting a whole set of new ...
CCTV Africa: Frontline of China's Soft-Power Diplomacy
Since its launch in 2012, CCTV Africa has grown considerably in its distribution and programming. However, the central question remains as to whether or not anyone is actually watching to justify the massive investment undertaken by the Chinese government. According to research by leading ...
China's New Diplomatic Strategy in Africa: Humility
Just a few weeks after visiting Chinese premier Li Keqiang admitted that China was going through "growing pains" in its engagement Africa,
Chinese Environmental Sustainability in Africa
The Chinese have a well-earned reputation in Africa for not being very environmentally conscious. From highly mechanized clear cutting of tropical forests to the wholesale slaughter of endangered wildlife, the Chinese do not have an impressive track record on the continent. However, there are ...
The Chinese "Invasion" of Africa's Informal Economy
Tens of thousands of independent, small-scale Chinese merchants are "invading" Africa's informal economy, posing a long term economic risk for the continent according to University of North Carolina professor Margaret C. Lee. Professor Lee joins us this week to talk about the pressure African ...