Related Posts

In Bolivia, China’s Lithium Extraction Plans Went to the Polls and Lost Badly 

Bolivia’s presidential elections have thrown the future of its lithium sector into doubt — and the country’s relationship with China has gone along with it. The first round of voting in late August ended two decades of rule by leftist party Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), and now, ...

Bolivia Candidate Vows to Scrap China, Russia Lithium Deals

By José Arturo Cárdenas and Gonzalo Torrico Bolivian right-wing presidential hopeful Jorge Quiroga on Monday vowed to scrap billion-dollar lithium extraction deals struck by the outgoing government with Russia and China if elected leader. "We ...

Europe’s Lithium Quest Hampered by China and Lack of Cash

By Alvaro Villalobos Europe's ambition to be a world player in decarbonised transportation arguably depends on sourcing lithium abroad, especially in South America. Even the bloc's broader energy security and climate goals could depend on ...

China-Argentina Call Reveals Closer Ties

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a phone conversation with his Argentine counterpart Santiago Cafiero, the newest sign of the two countries’ increasing closeness. Argentina is a champion of closer cooperation between China and Latin America and plans to join the BRICS bloc. ...

Scholz Looks to South America to Reduce Germany’s Dependence on Chinese Critical Resources

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spent the past few days crisscrossing South America in a bid to find alternative sources of critical minerals, notably lithium, that his country's powerful auto industry now relies predominantly on China to supply.  Over the weekend, ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

2026: Africa-China Relations in a World Shaped by North-South Geopolitics

When talking about Africa–China relations, one is always moving along a sliding scale. There are myriad interactions with Chinese entities that concern only individual African countries, segueing into trends affecting the whole continent and sliding further into global dynamics shaping the developing world, of which Africa is the heart.

The Africa-China relationship is its own thing, but Africa’s fate can’t easily be separated from factors affecting the wider Global South, ...

China is Using its Cobalt Playbook to Corner Lithium Supplies

Chinese mining companies are moving quickly to snap up some of the world's largest lithium mines, mostly located in South America's so-called "Lithium Triangle" that stretches across Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Since 2018, Chinese companies have invested an estimated $16 billion ...