CGSP Podcasts
Weekly discussions with key thought leaders about China’s engagement in Africa and the Global South.
podcast
China-Africa Relations as Seen From the United States
As Chinese engagement in Africa steadily increased over the past twenty-five years, the U.S. has struggled to respond. Africa has consistently been a low priority in U.S. foreign policy, even with China's growing presence on the continent, and that's especially true ...
Who Gets to Tell the Africa-China Story?
So much of the framing of Chinese engagement in Africa is done through the prism of Western media, academia, government, and civil society. Stories about debt traps, malign influence, and exploitation are all firmly embedded in the larger discourse about Africa's ...
The Impact of Chinese Overcapacity on Developing Countries
South Africa this week joined a growing list of developing countries around the world that have introduced tariffs on certain Chinese imports to protect local producers. Indonesia, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil, among others, have also introduced similar duties on Chinese steel ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Debt and the Anti-Government Revolt in Kenya
Protestors in Kenya this week expressed fury against the government and the IMF but interestingly made no mention of China during an unprecedented uprising in Nairobi. It's notable because the Kenyan Treasury spends more money to service its Chinese loans than ...
The Crisis in the South China Sea Enters a Dangerous New Phase
The violent confrontation between China and the Philippines on June 17th near the Second Thomas Shoal marked a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries over their rival territorial claims in the South China Sea.
How China’s Changing Economy is Impacting Africa?
Back in the early 2000s, when Chinese engagement in Africa started to ramp up, China was enjoying double-digit growth and devoured vast quantities of African oil, minerals, and timber to feed its surging manufacturing sector. ...
Taking Stock of China’s Diplomatic Surge in the Persian Gulf
Even just a few years ago, it would have stretched credulity to argue that China was a major diplomatic player in the Persian Gulf. Today, that is no longer the case as Beijing is fast becoming one of the key actors ...
It’s Time to Take the BRICS More Seriously
The BRICS group has existed since 2009 and has done little to distinguish itself in 15 years. They created a mid-sized development bank, but other than that, the bloc's accomplishments have been rather modest. That's ...
The Future of Chinese Development Finance in Africa
Chinese development finance in Africa today is a small fraction of what it was a decade ago when Beijing's policy banks provided billions of dollars in loans to countries across the continent. But while those ...
Jane Perlez on the Global South’s Role in the U.S.-China Strategic Rivalry
With memories still fresh from the first Cold War, leaders in Africa, Asia, and across the Global South have repeatedly said they do not want any part of a second Great Power rivalry. But as tensions between the U.S. and China ...
The Hidden World of Chinese Manufacturing in Ethiopia
Ethiopia's long-held ambition is to one day emerge as a major global manufacturing hub, benefiting from a wave of Chinese offshoring. The East African country's strategic location, abundant labor supply, and welcoming government are all very enticing for cost-conscious Chinese manufacturers. ...
What’s Driving the Surge in Brazil’s Business Ties With China
BYD announced that it opened its 100th dealership in Brazil, highlighting the South American country's growing importance to the Chinese electric vehicle giant. The story is similar across the board in tech, agriculture, and natural resources, among other sectors.