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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

42:19

Africa Again is the Backdrop for a Chinese...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/10/07

Home Coming is the latest Chinese blockbuster movie set in Africa that registered big box office returns during its Golden Week opening. The film is set in the fictitious North African country of Numia and tells the story based on the 2011 evacuation of thousands of Chinese nationals from Libya ahead of the civil war. Francophone Editor Geraud Neema joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the role that Africa and Africans play in Chinese blockbusters like Home Coming and its more famous predecessor Wolf

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46:49

What Does Kenya's SGR Tell Us About the Future of...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/10/04

The Chinese-financed Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya is one of the flagship projects of the Belt and Road Initiative. But the SGR like other Chinese-sponsored railway projects elsewhere in the Global South also serves as a prime example of the risks to developing countries in taking on so much debt. Keren Zhu, a global China post-doctoral researcher at Boston University's Global Development Policy Center, together with two other scholars recently completed a first-of-its-kind study that

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59:15

Nosmot Gbadamosi on US-China Competition in Africa,...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/30

Ghanaian Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia commissioned a new road this week built by the Chinese conglomerate Sinohydro and paid for as part of a $2 billion bauxite barter deal with the company. The timing of this new road opening, though, is critical as Ghana grapples with the effects of climate change and a rapidly deteriorating economy. Nosmot Gbadamosi, writer of Foreign Policy's widely-read Africa Brief newsletter, joins Eric & Cobus from Lagos to discuss why this kind of infrastructure that the

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57:10

[GLOBAL SOUTH] Why the U.S. And Israel Are Not...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/27

Israel and China are reportedly in the final stages of negotiating a free trade agreement that both sides say will be done before the end of the year. This may come as a surprise to some given how relations between the two countries have been a bit rocky this past year over issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and pressure from the U.S. But Israeli officials have made it clear to the U.S. that while they understand why Beijing makes them nervous, the Jewish State simply does not share those same

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01:05:19

African Leaders, China Made It Clear This Week...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/23

African leaders one after another took the podium at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) this week to express their deep frustrations with the international system and how unfairly it treats developing countries. “It is time for a fairer, more inclusive global governance that is more adapted to the realities of our time,” declared AU Chair and Senegalese President Macky Sall. Meantime, China sought to lead that change and made a big push on the sidelines of the UNGA for its new Global Development

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57:53

Navigating the Belt & Road With a New Digital Toolkit

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/20

October marks the 9th anniversary of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and after all these years, nearly a decade later, many people around the world are still trying to figure out what exactly the BRI is. What is certain, though, is that China has pulled back considerably on BRI-related financing in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa and the Americas. But in Asia, it's a different story. Chinese lenders are still plowing billions of dollars to build badly-needed infrastructure and

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01:11:13

Introducing the China-Global South Podcast

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/16

Every week, The China-Global South Podcast will explore timely issues surrounding China's engagement in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and other developing regions. Hosted by China-Global South Editor in Chief Eric Olander in Vietnam and Managing Editor Cobus van Staden in South Africa, this new program will highlight insights and ideas from leading experts in the Global South. To help kick off the show, Eric & Cobus are joined by Kaiser Kuo, host of the venerable Sinica Podcast, to

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01:04:32

China and the Race to Dominate EV Battery Supply Chains

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/13

A new movement is underway in the U.S. to strip China out of the global supply chain for electric vehicle batteries -- everything from the extraction of the minerals and metals to the processing of those resources to make the battery packs that power Teslas, Fords and other American-made cars. But it's not going to be easy. Chinese companies have a commanding lead in many parts of that supply chain, particularly cobalt where around 80% of the blue metal is processed in China. Journalist Henry

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53:26

Week in Review: Illegal mining in Ghana, US...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/09

Aisha Huang, aka the "Galamsey Queen," surprised everyone when she was arrested again for illegal mining in Ghana. What does her arrest say about the government's efforts to combat illicit Chinese mining? Plus, a new report says the U.S. is "disillusioned" with the Congolese government for not doing more to push back against Chinese mining companies. And, African youth in 8 countries get the chance to speak with astronauts aboard the Chinese Space Station. Francophone Editor Christian-Geraud Neema

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01:14:40

Why Zainab Usman is Cautiously Optimistic About the...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/09/01

Africa is increasingly becoming a main stage for great power competition. Last week, Japan wrapped up its triennial Africa summit where they threw some shade China's way. A few weeks earlier, the U.S. unveiled a refreshed foreign policy strategy for the continent, and China remains intensely focused on bolstering ties with African governments -- partially as a hedge against heightened U.S. pressure elsewhere. While U.S. officials have said for years that it's important for Washington to focus on

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32:02

Update on the Chinese Cobalt Stand-off in the DR Congo

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/25

Tensions between Chinese mining China Moly and the Congolese state-owned mining Gécamines appear to be deteriorating further amid an ongoing stand-off over the massive TFM copper and cobalt mine in the southern DRC. Shipments have reportedly been halted due to a bitter contractual dispute between the two sides, and given this is the world's largest cobalt mine, the impact of this stand-off could be far-reaching. Francophone Editor Christian-Geraud Neema joins Eric to discuss the latest developments

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01:10:18

Africa in the New Era of U.S.-China Great Power...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/23

Chinese President Xi Jinping is widely expected to soon re-emerge on the global stage after a nearly three-year absence. Where is still unknown, but when it does happen it's going to create a much tenser, more confrontational atmosphere at upcoming summits in Indonesia and Thailand where he'll sit alongside U.S. President Joe Biden and other Western leaders. Eurasia Group Senior Analyst Ali Wyne will be closely following Xi's reemergence. Ali is one of Washington's foremost observers of the

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48:59

Week in Review: Kenya elections, Chinese mining woes...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/18

Kenya's got a new president who has vowed to get tough on the Chinese, particularly when it comes to publishing contracts and cracking down on illegal immigration. Plus, Chinese mining giant CMOC is encountering new difficulties at its massive cobalt mine in the southern DRC. Eric & Cobus break down some of the week's top China-Africa stories and discuss where in the world is Xi Jinping going. SHOW NOTES: Wang Cheng, Chinese Ministry of Commerce: twitter.com/SadiqChengWang JOIN THE DISCUSSION:

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58:02

Week in Review: Kenya Elections, Zambian Debt &...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/11

The Chinese government pushed back this week against the U.S. and its new foreign policy strategy for Africa. The Foreign Ministry dismissed Washington's emphasis on democracy as mere rhetoric, while the railways, roads, and other infrastructure that China's built speak for itself. Also this week, a senior U.S. official again accused China of engaging in predatory lending in Africa without apparently knowing that Beijing also led a landmark debt restructuring deal for Zambia. Emmanuel Matambo,

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01:03:05

Afrobarometer CEO Joseph Asunka on Public Perceptions...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/10

When U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled the White House's new strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, he referenced Afrobarometer polling data to validate Washington's renewed emphasis on democracy promotion. The following day, in criticizing the new U.S. policy towards Africa, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin also used Afrobarometer data to make the case for Beijing's engagement strategy on the continent. What's interesting is that they're both right. The Afrobarometer polling

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01:01:29

Week in Review: Taiwan, Tesla and Antony Blinken's...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/08/04

China mounted an intercontinental media response throughout the Global South this week to rage against U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Managing Editor Cobus van Staden and Francophone Editor Geraud Neema break down why developing countries, including several in Africa, who have repeatedly said they want to stay out of the U.S.-China standoff, decided to weigh in on this controversy. Plus, a preview of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming Africa tour and what a Tesla battery

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49:07

African Exploitation Videos Are Big Business on...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/07/29

The recent BBC documentary "Racism for Sale" pointed a powerful spotlight on the popular Chinese "blessing video" business that is both highly exploitative and very profitable. These videos feature Africans and people from other developing regions, often including children, conveying messages that are often demeaning. In the weeks following the release of the documentary, most of the attention on this issue was focused on culprit, a 26-year Chinese man by the name of Lu Ke, and people's shock in

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01:00:01

China's Discourse Power in Africa and the Global South

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/07/15

China, like all major governments, uses a variety of tools and methods to influence international public opinion. Some, like CGTN, China Daily, and China Radio International, serve as conventional propaganda that is easy to identify; other tactics are far more subtle yet often very effective in shaping the global conversation about China and its role in the world. This so-called "discourse power" is now an important field of study. Kenton Thibaut, a China fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Tuvia

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57:03

It Was a Bad, Very Bad Week For Chinese Mining in Africa

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/07/08

Two of China's largest and most important mining ventures in Africa encountered major problems this week. In Guinea, the government shut down the Sino-Australian joint venture to operate the massive Simandou iron ore mine, a major blow to Beijing's ambitions to end its reliance on imported Australian ore. And then in the DRC, authorities reportedly issued a notice to the Chinese management that runs the massive TFM copper/cobalt mine to halt extraction and production. Francophone Editor and leading

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48:41

A Discussion With the Journalists Behind the BBC Doc...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2022/06/30

The BBC investigative unit Africa Eye turned a powerful spotlight last month on a multi-million dollar business in China that exploits people in developing regions, including young children in Africa, to produce so-called "blessing videos." Many of these videos may seem innocuous where Africans hold up signs in Chinese to wish people good luck on a test or sign happy birthday, for example. But many others are highly exploitative and downright demeaning. Journalists Runako Celina and Henry Mhango led

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433 results

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