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Macron Tells Xi China, France Must Overcome ‘Differences’

French President Emmanuel Macron told Xi Jinping that France and China must overcome their "differences" during their meeting in Beijing on Thursday. "Sometimes there are differences, but it is our responsibility to overcome them for the greater good," Macron told Xi ...

China, Japan in Fresh Incident Around Disputed Islands

Japanese and Chinese vessels engaged in a fresh standoff around disputed islands on Tuesday, the two countries' coast guards said. Relations have been strained since Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested last month that her country could intervene militarily in ...

Amid a Global Arms Boom, China Confronts Delays, Scrutiny, and a Rare Drop in Defense Sales

Sales by the world's top 100 arms makers reached a record $679 billion last year, as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza boosted demand, researchers said Monday, but production issues hampered deliveries. The figure was 5.9 percent higher than the year before, ...

At African Studies Gathering, Critiques of China Grow Louder… And More African

By Felix Brender 王哲謙 Some of North America’s (and perhaps the world’s) leading Africanists gathered last week in Atlanta for the African Studies Association’s Annual Meeting. As ever, China loomed large on the agenda. What was new, however, was not ...

India Launches $815 Million Plan to Cut Reliance on China for Rare Earth Magnets

India has approved a more than $800 million plan to boost production of rare earth magnets in an effort to secure supplies and cut its dependence on imports from countries like China. Rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs), some of the strongest ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke

When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...

EU Says Must ‘Step up’ Against China Rare Earths ‘Racket’

The European Union must ramp up efforts to break its dependence on China for rare earths faced with export curbs that amount to a "racket" by Beijing, the bloc's industry chief Stephane Sejourne said Tuesday. China, the world's top producer of ...

As Conflict Escalates in Eastern Congo, China’s Mining Giants Confront New Risks Far From the Front Lines

In late November, China’s Foreign Ministry issued a stark warning about the Democratic Republic of Congo: the security situation in the east has deteriorated sharply, with armed clashes, extremist activity and attacks against foreign workers rising again. Congo sits at the ...

With Washington Absent, China Seizes the Stage at G20 in Johannesburg

Chinese Premier Li Qiang was very busy at this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg, where he seemed at ease that Donald Trump and the U.S. delegation stayed home, for the most part. There's no doubt that had Trump been there, the ...

As China Expands Its Presence in Africa, Smaller EU States Rush to Catch Up

By Umberto Bacchi From Finland opening diplomatic outposts in Senegal to Czech instructors training Mauritanian security forces, a group of smaller European nations has joined a global scramble for influence in Africa. Estonia, Romania and ...

An Exhibition of ‘Civilizations’ in Beijing, and the Narrative China Is Quietly Writing

By Felix Brender 王哲謙 The Where Civilizations Meet exhibition at Beijing’s National Museum of China drew to a close this month. Showcasing artifacts from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it was, at least on the surface, a celebration ...

Bolivia’s Lithium Mines Drive U.S. Rapprochement, Chinese Commentator Says

On his first day in office, Bolivia’s new president, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, made a historic move, ending a 17-year diplomatic deadlock with the United States. On Saturday, he announced the full restoration of ties, including the exchange of ambassadors. The high-level U.S. presence at his inauguration underscored ...

China’s Shadow Looms Over Trump’s Summit With Central Asian Leaders

U.S. President Donald Trump will host all five Central Asian leaders in Washington on Thursday, marking the first time they have been gathered together. This comes just a few months after they held separate summits with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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