Eswatini: Chinese Roots Deepen In Africa’s Last Taiwan Holdout
September 10th, 2024
Courtesy of Semafor, an article on China’s growing efforts to woo, Eswatini, Taiwan’s last African ally: China is building up its business and economic interests in Eswatini in a sign that Taiwan’s last African ally is gradually pivoting towards Beijing. The southern African country was the only one of Africa’s 54 countries that declined to […]
Read more »China’s African Bet and Vice Versa: A Positive-Sum Game?
September 9th, 2024
Via The Diplomat, commentary on how – despite criticism and skepticism – China seems to be Africa’s last hope, if not its best bet: The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit was held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. During the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping told delegates from more than 50 African states that Beijing was ready […]
Read more »The Gulf of Thailand: Next U.S.-China Flashpoint?
September 7th, 2024
Via Nikkei Asia, a look at how Beijing’s backing of Cambodian infrastructure could alter regional balance of power: While geopolitical tensions between China and the U.S. have soared in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, raising serious fears of war, another important body of water in the Indo-Pacific — the Gulf of Thailand — […]
Read more »As China Buys Less Oil, Angola Struggles To Repay Debt
September 6th, 2024
Via Eurasia Review, a report on how – as China buys less oil – Angola struggles to repay its debt: Angola’s long-running financial relationship with China has been built on a simple equation: Angola would repay its growing Chinese debt with oil, a strategy that became known as the Angola Model. The strategy is faltering, […]
Read more »Cooling Off: Hotpot Companies are Losing Steam as China Consumers Wilt
September 6th, 2024
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on Chinese hotpot companies and their growing focus on international market to make up for weak Chinese domestic demand: Chinese hotpot meals are social events with diners sharing a steaming pot of soup. These restaurants were understandably hit hard during the pandemic due to social-distancing requirements. Now they […]
Read more »China Signs Deal to Revamp Mao-Era Southern African Railway
September 5th, 2024
Via Bloomberg, an article on China’s agreement to revamp a railway linking Zambia with Tanzania: Line links copper-rich Zambia with Tanzania’s main ocean port China’s move follows US support for rail link going to Angola China signed an agreement Wednesday to revamp a railway that will help landlocked Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, export the […]
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.