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The China in Africa Podcast

The China-Global South Project

300 episodes

Twice-weekly discussion about China's engagement across Africa and the Global South hosted by journalist Eric Olander and Asia-Africa scholar Cobus van Staden in Johannesburg.

Episodes page 4 of 6

  1. China-Africa Summit Preview: What's on the Agenda for FOCAC 9?

    · 39 min · S15 E45

    The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit is now less than a month away. Chinese President Xi Jinping will host dozens of African leaders in Beijing in the first week of September for the triennial gathering…

  2. Jendayi Frazer on U.S.-China Geopolitical Competition in Africa

    · 46 min · S15 E44

    U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week on what the U.S. needs to do to better compete with China in Africa and other developing regions. Campbell…

  3. [GLOBAL SOUTH] The ASEAN Wonk on Great Power Politics in Southeast Asia

    · 1 h 00 min · S15 E43

    The foreign ministers from China, the U.S., Japan, and Russia, among others, all passed through the Laotian capital, Vientiane, over the past several days, ostensibly for an ASEAN gathering. But the real action took…

  4. A New Vision for European Engagement in Africa (Beyond Confronting China)

    · 53 min · S15 E42

    Europe is Africa's largest trading partner and its largest source of foreign direct investment. But a lot of that economic engagement is powered by inertia, left over from Europe's long, painful history of colonial…

  5. China-Africa Relations as Seen From the United States

    · 40 min · S15 E41

    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…

  6. Who Gets to Tell the Africa-China Story?

    · 58 min · S15 E40

    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…

  7. The Impact of Chinese Overcapacity on Developing Countries

    · 47 min · S15 E39

    South Africa this week joined a growing list of developing countries around the world to introduce tariffs on certain Chinese imports in a bid to protect local producers. Indonesia, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil, among…

  8. WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Debt and the Anti-Government Revolt in Kenya

    · 54 min · S15 E38

    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…

  9. [GLOBAL SOUTH] The Crisis in the South China Sea Enters a Dangerous New Phase

    · 40 min · S15 E37

    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…

  10. How China's Changing Economy is Impacting Africa?

    · 1 h 05 min · S15 E36

    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…

  11. It's Time to Take the BRICS More Seriously

    · 51 min · S15 E35

    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…

  12. The Future of Chinese Development Finance in Africa

    · 42 min · S15 E34

    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 heady…

  13. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Jane Perlez on the Global South's Role in the U.S.-China Strategic Rivalry

    · 53 min · S15 E33

    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.…

  14. The Hidden World of Chinese Manufacturing in Ethiopia

    · 43 min · S15 E32

    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…

  15. [GLOBAL SOUTH] What's Driving the Surge in Brazil's Business Ties With China

    · 49 min · S15 E31

    BYD announced that it opened its 100th dealership in Brazil, highlighting the South American country's growing importance to the Chinese electric vehicle giant. It's a similar story across the board in tech,…

  16. Illegal Chinese Timber Trade Fuels Insurgency in Mozambique

    · 49 min · S15 E30

    Officially, Mozambique bans the export of raw timber in an effort to protect what's left of the country's rapidly shrinking forests. But whatever laws are in place are largely disregarded as more than 500,000 tons of…

  17. WEEK IN REVIEW: China in the Sahel | ChatGPT's take on China-Africa

    · 56 min · S15 E29

    China somehow managed to get the oil flowing between Niger and Benin this week amid a bitter dispute between the two West African countries that had briefly shut down the pipeline. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud discuss how…

  18. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Indonesia's Role in the South China Sea Crisis

    · 36 min · S15 E28

    Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto will take office later this year at a critical time when regional tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea are surging. And this won't be just a foreign…

  19. China-Africa Relations in the Era of Great Power Competition

    · 58 min · S15 E27

    A prominent French TV journalist was visibly surprised when DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi bluntly told him that he prefers to work with Chinese and Russian partners rather than those from the West. The exchange…

  20. Insights From Hannah Ryder on This Year's China-Africa Summit

    · 1 h 00 min · S15 E26

    Chinese and African governments are beginning to negotiate the agenda for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit that will take place in Beijing later this fall. Development finance,…

  21. WEEK IN REVIEW: The Chinese Supermarket Scandal in Nigeria

    · 47 min · S15 E25

    Nigerian consumer protection authorities shut a Chinese supermarket in the capital, Abuja after a video went viral showing the store refusing entry to local residents. The scandal sparked outrage online and was among…

  22. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Should China Use Its Influence With Iran to Help the U.S. and Israel?

    · 39 min · S15 E24

    Senior U.S. leaders have once again called on China to use its considerable economic leverage to persuade Iran to change its behavior in the escalating conflict with Israel. Various U.S. have made this same request on…

  23. U.S.-China Competition for Africa's Critical Resources

    · 47 min · S15 E23

    China maintains a massive lead over the U.S. and other G7 countries in both mining and refining capacity in Africa, a key vulnerability that policymakers in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere say they're determined to…

  24. The State of Chinese Tech in Africa With Benjamin Dada

    · 50 min · S15 E22

    For much of the past ten years, Chinese technology in Africa focused largely on devices and infrastructure. But today, the conversations also include issues related to governance, online services, and the emergence of…

  25. Labor Relations at Chinese Construction Sites in Africa

    · 55 min · S15 E21

    Few topics have shaped perceptions about China's engagement in Africa more than the presence of Chinese construction sites across the continent. Chinese contractors have built countless ports, roads, railways, and…

  26. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Why a Chinese-backed Canal Project in Cambodia is Making Vietnam Very Nervous

    · 30 min · S15 E20

    Former Cambodian strongman Hun Sen was in Beijing last week lobbying the Chinese government to move forward with the $1.7 billion Funan Techo Canal project which his son, President Hun Manet, has made the centerpiece…

  27. Tang Xiaoyang on Why the U.S., Not China is to Blame for Africa's Debt Problems

    · 51 min · S15 E19

    While many in the West still contend Africa's worsening debt crisis is largely due to excessive Chinese lending, Tsinghua University Professor Tang Xiaoyang argues that accusation just isn't true. Instead, the…

  28. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Chinese EV Brands Want to Dominate Global South Auto Markets

    · 44 min · S15 E18

    Enthusiasm for electric vehicles is waning in both the U.S. and China, but that is definitely not the case in other parts of the world where EV adoption rates are steadily rising. In fact, at the Bangkok Motor Show…

  29. WEEK IN REVIEW: Why Angola is the "Vietnam of Africa"

    · 51 min · S15 E17

    Angolan President João Lourenço returned from a three-day visit to China loaded with goodies. He secured an upgrade in diplomatic ties, promises of new investment and, most importantly, a major reduction in monthly…

  30. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Author Jeremy Garlick on China's Strategic Advantage in the Global South

    · 55 min · S15 E16

    U.S. and European officials often lament that they've fallen behind China when it comes to engaging Africa, Asia, the Americas, and other developing regions. Western governments aren't set up to rapidly deploy the kind…

  31. China's Slowing Economy Could be a Catalyst for Change in Africa

    · 1 h 05 min · S15 E15

    Angolan President João Lourenço kicked off a three-day visit to China this week that will take him to Beijing and Shandong Province. The timing of Lourenço's trip comes as the Chinese economy is facing enormous…

  32. A Call for African & Latin American Countries to Share Notes on Dealings With China

    · 51 min · S15 E14

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed this week the triennial Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) conference that will take place later this year in Beijing will, in fact, be a leaders summit. Before the…

  33. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Surveying the Geopolitical Landscape in SE Asia With ASEAN Wonk Prasanth Parmeswaran

    · 56 min · S15 E13

    The escalating tensions between China, the Philippines and the United States in the South China Sea highlight how Southeast Asia is now the most dangerous frontline in the burgeoning Great Power competition between…

  34. Chinese Diplomacy in Sierra Leone and Nigeria With Tobi Oshodi

    · 46 min · S15 E12

    Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio is in the midst of a five-day visit to China that included talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, among other high-level officials. While Bio is getting a lot of…

  35. [GLOBAL SOUTH] China and the Indonesia Nickel Trade: Measuring the True Labor and Environmental Cost

    · 44 min · S15 E11

    A lot of EV consumers bought new battery-powered cars in the hope it would be better for the environment than a vehicle with a conventional internal combustion engine that runs on fossil fuels. By some measures, that's…

  36. What Exactly is the "Global South"?

    · 1 h 08 min · S15 E10

    Academics and think tank analysts, predominantly in the U.S. and Europe, spend a lot of time debating whether it's appropriate to use the nomenclature "Global South" to describe developing countries in Africa, Asia,…

  37. [GLOBAL SOUTH] China-Indonesia Ties in the New Prabowo Subianto Era

    · 31 min · S15 E9

    They're still counting the votes in Indonesia after last week's election but it's all but certain that Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto will become the country's next president. While some of the world's major powers…

  38. Africa's Digital Sovereignty in the Era of U.S.-China Great Power Competition

    · 54 min · S15 E8

    In the increasingly acrimonious competition between the U.S. and China over technology standards, it's often assumed that smaller countries in places like Africa lack the necessary agency to determine their digital…

  39. Africa's Debt Dilemma: The Urgent Need for More Equitable Borrowing

    · 50 min · S15 E7

    For the first time in years, a few African countries are venturing back into the bond market to raise funds for infrastructure and to pay down their debts. However, borrowing more from private creditors is a risky move…

  40. WEEK IN REVIEW: Kenya to Overhaul China Policy & Chinese Infrastructure in the DRC

    · 1 h 01 min · S15 E6

    Kenya has a new envoy to China, Willy Bett, who formally presented his credentials to President Xi Jinping this week. Among Ambassador Bett's first tasks will be to follow up on Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs…

  41. [GLOBAL SOUTH] China's New Investment Priorities In Latin America And The Caribbean

    · 52 min · S15 E5

    For much of the past year, there's been a lot of talk about China's new leaner, more focused Belt and Road Initiative that goes by the mantra "Smart and Beautiful." The problem is very few people actually know what it…

  42. Noo Saro-Wiwa on "Black Ghosts" in China and the Complex Lives of the African Diaspora

    · 55 min · S15 E4

    Author Noo Saro-Wiwa had not spent much time in China when she heard that cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Yiwu, among others, were home to large, vibrant African migrant communities. But other than some of the…

  43. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Why Vietnam is Not "In Play" in the U.S.-China Rivalry

    · 56 min · S15 E3

    There was a lot of speculation in the U.S. last year that an upgrade of diplomatic ties with Vietnam would prompt Hanoi to be more aligned with Washington in its rivalry with China. While Vietnam did embark on a flurry…

  44. Chinese Weapons Are Becoming Increasingly Popular in Africa

    · 50 min · S15 E2

    Militaries across Africa are increasingly turning to China to source advanced weapons systems that were long unavailable from Western suppliers. Sophisticated Chinese-made drones, missile systems, and cyber-warfare…

  45. [GLOBAL SOUTH] Guarding West Africa's Forests: Exploring Ways to Put an End to Illegal Chinese Timber Trade

    · 52 min · S15 E2

    Together, the United States and China import $40 billion worth of timber products each year, quite a bit of which is harvested illegally from West Africa's rapidly shrinking forests. But cracking down on this illicit…

  46. China-Africa Relations in 2024: Insights From Six Experts

    · 1 h 11 min · S15 E1

    China's engagement in Africa is at a critical inflection point where many of the various stakeholders in this important relationship are re-evaluating what they want from the other. In this special episode, we speak…

  47. The Africa-China 2023 Year in Review

    · 52 min

    2023 was a transformative year for China's ties with Africa. Chinese investment, trade, and diplomatic engagement were either flat or declined sharply over the past year, highlighting how this once-vibrant relationship…

  48. WEEK IN REVIEW: Ethiopia Debt Update | China @COP28 | Chinese Energy Projects in Africa

    · 46 min

    Ethiopia is the latest African country that is now teetering on the verge of default after the government announced this week that it would not be able to make a $33 million bond payment. Eric speaks with Mark Bohlund,…

  49. Chinese 'Illegal Mining Queen' Jailed in Ghana

    · 43 min

    Aisha Huang -- a Chinese national with the notorious nickname "Galamsey Queen" -- is now sitting in a Ghanaian prison cell after she was sentenced this week by the High Court in Accra for running a massive illegal…

  50. A Primer on China's Role in the Worsening Zambian Debt Crisis

    · 41 min

    Zambia's debt restructuring deal that was hailed earlier this year as a "landmark" breakthrough for developing countries is now in shambles. Talks broke down a couple of weeks ago when bilateral creditors led by China…

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