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Will China’s Trade Strategy in Africa Succeed Where Europe’s Didn’t?

At a recent ministerial meeting in the central Chinese city of Changsha, Beijing announced an ambitious new phase of its engagement with Africa: the possibility of eliminating customs duties on exports from all 53 African countries (except for Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan). While many ...

Looking Beyond Mining in the Africa-China Relationship

Last week’s China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) in Changsha, Hunan province drew very little press attention, but it gave a glimpse of the growing centrality of agricultural trade to the Africa-China relationship. The event delivered 176 new project deals worth $11.39 billion. The number ...

China’s Africa Security Strategy: Training, Arms, and Political Influence

Over the past 25 years, China’s military engagement with Africa has grown dramatically. In 2000, fewer than 5% of African weapons came from China. Today, Chinese-made armored vehicles are used by 70% of African militaries, and China has become the continent’s ...

The Chinese FDI Boom in Africa That Wasn’t

For years, China has been seen as the pivotal international economic partner across Africa. That was certainly true in terms of steadily rising trade volumes and a fire hose of state backed loans that built roads, railways, and ports across the ...

Europe’s Green Mining Regulations May Push Africa Closer to China

While Europe’s environmental policy to limit carbon emissions is well-meaning and aims to fight climate change, it could actually make things worse for Africa. Instead of helping the continent to develop its industries, EU policy might instead give China more control over access to valuable mineral resources, ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

BRICS Announces Numerous New Initiatives

The BRICS group wrapped up its two-day leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The summit’s final communique is a 16,000-word doorstop that covers numerous issues from economics to education.
The communique avoids any direct mention of the United States, and references to “unilateralism” and other coded criticism are also relatively scarce. Rather, the communique keeps the focus on the BRICS’ vision of the strengthening and reform of the global multilateral system ...

Q&A: African, Chinese and European Scientists Collaborating to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Kenya’s Smallholder Farms

A growing number of joint research projects between Chinese and African scientists on climate change is increasing collaboration, producing different data to help address challenges brought on by changing weather patterns. At the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Zhu ...

Does China Sit Atop the Drone Throne?

By Lukas Fiala On Wednesday, it was reported that China donated four Type PMR-50 UAVs to Benin. Produced by China’s state-owned defense major NORINCO, the PMR-50 is a small, close-range drone and will reportedly support Benin’s counterterrorism efforts, likely by enhancing ...

Egypt’s Chinese Green Hydrogen Project Could be a Blueprint for Africa

Egypt and China are seeking to consolidate economic and investment cooperation in various areas of common interest, including clean energy through the China hydrogen project. The China International Energy Group (CIEG) intends to establish a $5 to $8 billion project ...

China-Africa Trade Forum Opens in Zhejiang Province

400 participants from 47 different African countries are participating in this week's China-Africa trade and economic relations forum now underway in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. The event highlights the increasingly prominent role that Chinese provinces are playing in the ...

Seminar Highlights China-Africa Media Alignment

Chinese and African media professionals committed to working together to reshape media narratives about Africa-China relations. Delegates from the continent gathered in Nairobi for a seminar organized by the state-owned China Media Group. Aziz Hartley, editor-in-chief of the partly Chinese-owned Independent ...

The Economist Wades into Africa-China Relations

The Economist brought out a special report on Africa-China relations. It is rare for the magazine to dedicate so much attention to Africa-China relations. However, its geopolitical framing: “To counter China’s growing role in Africa the West must first understand it” is already drawing criticism from African development experts.

Senior U.S. Diplomat Explains What Makes the U.S. So Uneasy About China’s Presence in Africa

While there have been countless seminars on China-Africa relations in Washington featuring scholars, think tank analysts, and journalists, it's quite rare that these discussions feature high-ranking State Department officials. The higher up in the ranks, the more they prefer to keep discussions out of the public eye. ...
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