x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

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.

news politics

All Episodes

57:59

In China’s Wake, India Tries a Cleaner, Fairer...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/04/03

In January, the Indian government published a new critical minerals strategy that details how the country aims to bolster supply chains necessary for its green energy transition. While the report underscores the importance of developing domestic supplies of lithium and other transition resources, it also calls for closer international partnerships, particularly with mineral-rich African nations. India has deep ties in Africa, particularly in eastern and southern countries on the continent, but it is

en

55:56

Lessons From Southeast Asia on How to Manage Great...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/04/02

China and Vietnam have taken two distinctly different approaches in how they manage their territorial disputes with China. The Philippines is leaning into its alliance with the United States along with new security pacts with more than half a dozen other countries. Vietnam, in contrast, is going it alone. Ironically, Vietnam is expanding its territorial presence in the disputed South China Sea through island reclamation, while the Philippines is merely trying to hold on to the territory it already

en

45:36

South Africa's Active Yet Unequal Trade With China

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/28

From afar, the China-South Africa trade relationship looks amazing. Last year, the two countries sold more than $52 billion worth of goods to one another — mostly raw materials from South Africa and finished goods from China. But when you look at the figures more closely, some real problems become evident. While trade volumes between the two countries have grown exponentially over the past 20 years, so has South Africa's trade deficit with China, which reached almost $10 billion last year

en

01:00:10

WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese Mining Disaster in Zambia

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/21

Millions of Zambians along the Kafue River are coming to grips with the devastating environmental impact brought about by a massive acid spill from a Chinese-run copper mine. A tailings dam broke on February 18th, sending 50 million liters of toxic water into the Kafue River, killing fish, wildlife and endangering public health. Sino-Metals, the Chinese mining company, apologized for the accident and said that it is “doing its best” to clean up the mess. Eric, Cobus, and Geraud discuss the political

en

42:37

China, Africa, and the Post-American World

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/18

During his Senate confirmation, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the so-called "liberal international order" that he said was obsolete and no longer working for the United States. Since he and his boss, President Donald Trump, took office eight weeks ago, they have thoroughly upended the post-WWII global order that the U.S. itself established and led for the past 75 years. The changes in Washington are happening so fast that it's impossible to keep up. Every day, institutions many

en

55:05

China, the U.S., and the Competition for Africa’s...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/13

Southern Africa has become a focal point of geopolitical competition, with the U.S., China, and other global powers maneuvering for influence over key infrastructure projects and critical resources. The Lobito Corridor Project, a railway and logistics initiative spanning Angola, Zambia, and the DRC, is at the center of this contest. Questions around financing, U.S. aid freezes, and China’s long-term economic strategy highlight the broader struggle for dominance in the region’s transportation and

en

39:05

Zimbabwe’s Fight for Responsible Mining: Lessons for...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/08

In recent years, the relationship between Chinese mining companies and local communities in many African countries has been very contentious over allegations of environmental damage, a lack of transparency, and tensions with local civil society groups. In Zimbabwe, a new initiative—the China-Africa Dialogue on Green Minerals for Responsible Investment (CADRI)—is taking a different approach. Rather than relying on confrontation, CADRI brings together civil society organizations, policymakers, and

en

58:32

The End of the West and the Future of China

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/03/04

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision this week to pause military funding for Ukraine and to align his government with Russia further widens the cleavage between the United States and Europe — effectively breaking what has long been known as "the West." At first glance, many of China's Western critics will see this as welcome news, but it also means that Beijing must navigate in a much more fragmented and turbulent geopolitical environment. The Paris-based global affairs think tank Institut

en

44:19

Tracking China's Dominance of the Transition Minerals...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/27

U.S. and European leaders often talk about the importance of building China-free supply chains for transition minerals and other critical resources. While, for a lot of people, that may resonate among their constituents at home, the reality is that it's not even remotely possible — at least for the foreseeable future. China has spent the better part of two decades building an insurmountable lead in financing, extracting, and processing these resources. Using a combination of state-backed companies

en

33:14

Chinese AI, Automotive Tech Poised to Sweep Across...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/25

When the Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer launched DeepSeek on January 20th, the global AI market for large language model (LLM) systems was turned upside down. Investors dumped nearly a trillion dollars of tech stocks in the U.S., panicked by the prospect that a cheaper, more nimbler alternative would undermine the massive investments that companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple were making in AI. A month later, those stocks have all largely recovered. Now, as investors have had time to use

en

45:42

Navigating U.S.-China Rivalry: Africa’s Strategic...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/21

The U.S.-China relationship is at a critical inflection point as Donald Trump tries to reset ties with his counterpart Xi Jinping. The U.S. President has repeatedly said he wants to negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement that would, in his view, lead to a dramatic de-escalation of tensions. Unsurprisingly, China Hawks, many in his own government, are skeptical that Trump will get what he wants from Xi. Regardless, reverberations from the U.S.-China conflict are felt far beyond the borders of

en

58:47

Debate: Is China a Helpful or Horrible Trade Partner...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/19

At last week's Munich Security Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi touted his country's 5% economic growth last year as a "benefit to the world" thanks to all of the trade it does with countries around the world. While countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, among other regions, are no doubt selling more raw materials to China, critics contend, though, that this trade pattern isn't healthy and mostly in China's favor. This week, Eric, Cobus, and Géraud debate whether Chinese trade

en

50:27

The U.S. or China: South Africa May Soon Have to Choose

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/13

There is mounting evidence that indicates the United States government may force South Africa to make a once-unthinkable choice: it's either the U.S. or China, but it can't be both. The president addressed the issue this week and said, "the South Africa situation is very dangerous and very bad for a lot of people." The president and his supporters are angry over South Africa's opposition to Israel in the Gaza War, Pretoria's close ties with Washington's rivals in Tehran and Moscow, and the country's

en

01:05:13

[WEEK IN REVIEW] Who Gets to Tell the China-Africa...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/02/06

Chinese engagement in Africa is seen by many people as a classic example of neo-colonial exploitation. China, according to the narrative, is merely the latest in a long line of predatory foreigners seeking to drain the continent's vast reserves of oil, minerals, and timber. The narrative that frames the Chinese as the aggressors and Africans as the victims has largely been defined by U.S., European, and Indian entities over the past several decades and fits neatly into African historical traumas

en

01:00:30

U.S. Aid Freeze Creates New Opening for China in Africa

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/31

The Trump administration's decision to issue a 90-day freeze on most foreign assistance around the world will have a disproportionate impact on a number of African countries that rely heavily on U.S. aid. The State Department's "stop work" order has led to the immediate termination of hundreds of aid programs across the continent, notably the hugely successful AIDS mitigation initiative known as PEPFAR. Governments are now scrambling to try and find other sources of funding in a bid to salvage some

en

46:20

[GLOBAL SOUTH] China's Role in the Panama Canal...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/28

When Donald Trump criticized Panama for its management of the canal that he claimed had fallen under Chinese control, many people at first thought this was just another round of Trump's usual bluster. But since his election last November, the President has been relentless in pressuring the government in Panama City and shows no signs of backing down until all Chinese entities have been expelled from the canal zone. Alonso Illueca, an associate law professor at the Universidad Santa María La Antigua

en

48:42

Does Trump Help or Hurt China's Diplomacy in Africa?

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/24

Donald Trump roared back into power this week, signing dozens of executive orders on his first day that upended large parts of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. The president withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Accords and froze all new foreign aid initiatives. Ronak Gopaldas, a director at the African risk intelligence service Signal Risk and a fellow at the London School of Economics, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss how the dramatic changes that took place

en

01:07:44

The World According to Marco Rubio

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/17

Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the State Department, Marco Rubio, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week as part of the confirmation process. Rubio testified for more than three hours and made it very clear that confronting China is going to be his top priority when he moves into his 7th-floor office at the State Department. Africa, too, emerged as a key theme throughout Rubio's confirmation hearing, notably as a theater of competition with the

en

55:08

China and the Global South in the Trump 2.0 Era

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/16

On Monday, January 20th, Donald Trump will take the oath of office and return to power as president of the United States. Trump is promising to overhaul U.S. foreign and commercial policy in what many experts believe will mark the start of a very tumultuous period — not just for the United States but also for countries around the world. Sarah Shidore, director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute in Washington, D.C. joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the impact of the coming Trump

en

53:38

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Wraps Up Low Key...

The China in Africa Podcast ·

2025/01/10

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ended a four-nation Africa tour on Thursday that included stops in Namibia, the Republic of Congo, Chad, and Nigeria. Other than a $255 million railway loan deal for Nigeria, there were very few other major announcements made during the week-long trip. But that's not a bad thing, according to Ovigwe Eguegu, a policy analyst at Development Reimagined. Ovigwe joins Eric, Cobus, & Géraud to explain why the consistency of the Chinese Foreign Minister's annual visit to

en

430 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS NewsHour

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci