Will China Control The Global Internet Via Its Digital Silk Road?
May 11th, 2020
Via SupChina, a look at the Digital Silk Road: The “Digital Silk Road” (DSR) was introduced in 2015 by an official Chinese government white paper, as a component of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For years, it has been less an identifiable set of projects as much as it was a brand for virtually […]
Read more »Vietnam’s Economy to Grow Fastest in Southeast Asia Despite COVID-19: ADB
May 11th, 2020
Via ASEAN Briefing, a look at Vietnam: Vietnam is forecast to be one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, despite the impact of COVID-19. The government launched a US$10.8 billion credit support package in March to combat the crisis. After COVID-19, the economy is expected to rebound at a […]
Read more »China’s Belt and Road Keeps Steaming Ahead In Laos
May 11th, 2020
Via The Asia Times, commentary on how China’s Belt and Road keeps steaming ahead in Laos: Under fire for bullying neighbors in the South China Sea, China is patting itself on the back for the progress it is making on the 411-kilometer China-Laos railway through a sparsely populated nation that has barely been touched by the […]
Read more »Uzbekistan Looks To Pakistani Ports
May 11th, 2020
Via Dawn, a report on Uzbekistan’s interest in utilizing Karachi and Gwadar ports: Uzbekistan on Thursday formally sought Pakistan’s support for accession to the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA) in a bid to utilise Karachi and Gwadar ports for its trade operations. The formal request was made by Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov […]
Read more »China’s Expensive Bet On Africa Has Failed
May 10th, 2020
Via the Nikkei Asian Review, commentary on how the coronavirus driven crash in commodity prices has wasted $200 billion in Chinese investment and loans to African nations: China’s commercial activities in Africa, such as investments, infrastructure projects and bank lending, have long attracted scrutiny and criticism. Critics have accused Beijing of practicing a new form […]
Read more »Ethiopia, Once One Of World’s Fastest Growing Economies, Facing Challenges
May 9th, 2020
Via Quartz, an updated look at Ethiopia: Ethiopia’s once promising economy has run into a wall as the global economic crisis unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic devastates the nation of more than 100 million, forcing IMF to slash its GDP growth forecast for 2020 down to 3.2% from 6.2%. The Horn of Africa country, home […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.