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PODCAST

The China in Africa Podcast

The China-Global South Project

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.

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All Episodes

54:37

Noo Saro-Wiwa on "Black Ghosts" in China and the...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2024/01/25

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 headlines about the diaspora population that appeared during the COVID pandemic, she didn't know much about this faraway population. So, she set out on a three-month odyssey through China to meet the traders and other African merchants who make up the bulk of this community to find out

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56:26

[GLOBAL SOUTH] Why Vietnam is Not "In Play" in the...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2024/01/22

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 of diplomatic upgrades with China's rivals in Japan, South Korea and the United States, among others, China nonetheless remains the Southeast Asian country's primary foreign policy priority. And that's never going to change regardless of what the U.S. and others offer Hanoi, according

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50:05

Chinese Weapons Are Becoming Increasingly Popular in...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2024/01/18

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 technologies, among others, are now commonplace on African battlefields. Ekene Lionel, director of the defense news website Military.Africa joins Eric, Cobus, and Geraud to explain why Chinese weapons have become so popular with African militaries. Plus, the guys also discuss Foreign

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52:18

[GLOBAL SOUTH] Guarding West Africa's Forests:...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2024/01/17

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 trade is extremely difficult given that many of the region's governments are actively complicit. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), an NGO based in the U.S. and UK, recently traced how Chinese merchants trafficked rosewood timber from the forests Equatorial Guinea back to

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01:11:18

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

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2024/01/11

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 with six prominent experts from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States who provide their forecasts for how this vital geopolitical relationship is going to evolve in 2024: Tarela Moses, Data Analyst and Database Manager at the Global China Initiative at the Boston University Global

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52:11

The Africa-China 2023 Year in Review

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/12/21

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 is now entering a new, more austere period. In our annual year-in-review episode, Geraud, Cobus, and Eric look back at the stories and trends of the past 12 months and provide their forecast of what to expect in 2024. JOIN THE DISCUSSION:

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46:26

WEEK IN REVIEW: Ethiopia Debt Update | China @COP28 |...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/12/15

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, a senior research credit analyst at REDD Intelligence, for his take on the situation and the larger debt landscape across the continent. Plus, Cobus and Geraud break down China's position at the COP28 that wrapped up this week and what impact it will have on Beijing's engagement in

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42:57

Chinese 'Illegal Mining Queen' Jailed in Ghana

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/12/08

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 mining operation. The verdict dominated the media this week in Ghana but rather than focus on Huang and her offenses, commentators directed their ire towards wealthy landowners and the government who they feel enable people like Huang and other illegal miners to destroy the environment

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41:22

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

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/12/01

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 and France objected to the terms that bondholders were negotiating with Lusaka on the grounds that private creditors were getting more out of the deal. Now, three years into this process, Zambia is once again stuck in limbo as rival creditors feud over who will get paid first and how

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43:28

WEEK IN REVIEW: Zambia Debt | Lula's China Diss |...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/24

Zambia suffered a major setback this week in its nearly three-year odyssey to restructure $32 billion of debt when the country's bilateral creditors led by China and France pushed back against bondholders. Plus, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a rare diss against China in a commencement speech for new diplomats when he said he tried to avoid Africa being "taken hostage" by China. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud discuss those issues and are also joined by Bongiwe Tutu, project

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01:02:22

[GLOBAL SOUTH] China's Response to the Israel-Hamas War

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/21

Prior to the October 7th terrorist attack by Hamas in southern Israel, China had positioned itself as a new power broker in the Middle East. Chinese officials were brimming with confidence after they finalized a détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier this year, hinting they could do the same in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But in the wake of a full-scale war that's now underway, those same Chinese officials are much more circumspect. In this week's episode, CGSP Middle East Editor Jony

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01:20:32

Africa is at the Center of U.S.-China Competition for...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/16

U.S. lawmakers met this week to discuss how to combat the use of child labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's cobalt mining sector which they claim is largely controlled by Chinese mining companies. The issue is part of a larger debate over what the U.S. needs to do to better compete with the Chinese around the world to secure the critical resources that will power next-generation mobility and technology. The timing of this week's hearings on Capitol Hill coincides with the release of a new

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51:12

[GLOBAL SOUTH] Chinese Overseas Investment: Which...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/14

Amid a slowing economy at home, more Chinese companies are now looking to invest abroad in search of higher returns. While there's been a lot of hope in recent years that some of that money would find its way to Africa and other less-developed regions, that's not happening. Instead, Chinese companies are investing in countries closer to home in Asia, according to Chim Lee, a China analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Chim joins Eric & Cobus from Beijing to discuss the latest trends in Chinese

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59:04

What the Past Tells Us About the Future of the BRI

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/10

There's a widely-held perception in many parts of the U.S., Europe, and India that debt and geopolitics have led to the demise of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But a landmark new study from AidData proves otherwise, revealing not only that the BRI is still very much alive but it's also undergone major reforms to make it even more competitive. AidData pored through 21,000 Chinese-backed projects over the past twenty years in 165 countries valued at more than $1.3 trillion. Ammar Malik, a

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01:08:48

Chinese Infrastructure Projects in Africa Don't Meet...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/07

Two years ago, China introduced a series of new so-called "green guidelines" that it hoped would promote more sustainable development abroad. But in Africa, according to a new research report, it appears those higher environmental, social, and governance (ESG) have been difficult to meet. Researchers from Boston University's Global Development Policy Center, the Fudan University Green Finance and Development Center, the South African Institute of International Affairs, and LSE IDEAS teamed up to

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48:46

New Documentary Humanizes the China-Africa Relationship

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/11/01

Eat Bitter is a new documentary making the rounds of the international film festival circuit that tells the story of two men, one from China and the other from the Central African Republic (CAR), who work on opposite ends of the construction business in the CAR. The film is generating considerable buzz for the way it humanizes the main characters, providing long-overdue relief from the caricatures that typically frame the China-Africa relationship. Ningyi Sun, one of Eat Bitter's co-directors, and

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57:22

Assessing the Impact of Chinese Media Influence in...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/10/26

China's media presence in Africa is far more pervasive today than it was a decade ago, but not in the conventional way. Very few people consume China's traditional media offerings on the continent but millions, often unaware, engage with Chinese-produced messaging online on a near-daily basis. The Chinese government has become very sophisticated in distributing its content to African news outlets which is then published on websites and social media platforms. Beijing also does extensive media

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01:16:18

Africa's Strong Presence at China's Belt & Road Forum

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/10/20

Five of the 24 heads of state who attended this week's Belt and Road Forum in Beijing were from African countries, highlighting the prominent role the continent played at the event. Many of the themes that emerged from the two-day forum align neatly with key African priorities related to new development finance and greater access to the Chinese market. Join Geraud, Cobus, and Eric for a lively discussion on the key takeaways from this year's forum and whether African countries really do stand to

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53:19

Zimbabwe's Elite Share Their Views on China: What a...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/10/12

Across Africa, public opinion about China has been quite positive overall with favorability ratings surpassing those of other major powers, including the United States. But not in Zimbabwe, at least among the country's elites, according to a new survey. Only 37% of urban, educated Zimbabweans felt positive about China's impact on their country, significantly lower than the 63% favorability score that Afrobarometer recorded just a couple of years ago. The new poll was conducted earlier this year by

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01:11:25

[GLOBAL SOUTH] Michael Pettis Explains How China's...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2023/10/10

China's economy emerged from the pandemic much weaker than before. Unemployment is up, exports are down and a burgeoning property crisis is having a devastating impact on local government finances. These changes in the economy are happening very fast, so quickly that's it difficult for experts to keep pace with what's happening, much less among those who don't closely follow Chinese economic trends -- particularly in developing countries. Michael Pettis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for

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433 results

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