China’s Battle for Narratives in Africa
October 23rd, 2024
Via The Diplomat, a look at how China has built a media network to spread information to its advantage in a region that has increasingly become a theater of great power rivalry: In 2014, during the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for strengthening China’s soft power globally […]
Read more »Could Ugandan Rail Deal Convince China To Help Get Kenyan Project Back On Track?
October 23rd, 2024
Via South China Morning Post, a report on a recently announced rail project in Uganda could have wide-ranging implications for neighbouring Kenya: A Ugandan construction deal could provide the impetus needed to see China hand over extra financing to a stalled rail project in Kenya, according to observers. On Monday last week, Uganda awarded Turkish construction firm Yapi […]
Read more »Laos Durian Dreams Grow As Plantations Rise To Feed China
October 20th, 2024
Via Nikkei Asia, a report on how a new Chinese funded high-speed railways is fueling investment in the ‘king of fruits’ amid worries over forest loss: Chinese businessman Tao Jian spends an entire day navigating muddy roads on the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos, inspecting his budding durian empire of 50,000 trees. The area is nicknamed […]
Read more »Railroads and Roads: Nepal-China Relations Move Into Fast Lane
October 17th, 2024
Via the Malaysia Sun, a look at the growing ties between Nepal and China: Nepal and China have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing projects under the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network (THMDCN), a Beijing-led idea that the two countries agreed to in April 2018. According to a statement issued by the Nepali Embassy in Beijing, Deputy […]
Read more »Why China’s Southeast Asia Belt and Road Push Could Give iIt Edge In Critical Battleground
October 17th, 2024
Via South China Morning Post, a report on how infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail could help Beijing keep US from coaxing region into its orbit: When Vietnam’s new top leader To Lam visited Beijing in mid-August, infrastructure was very much top of mind. During the trip, China agreed to support a feasibility study for two standard-gauge […]
Read more »China’s Evolving Strategy in South and Central Asia
October 16th, 2024
Via The Diplomat, a look at how China’s growing footprint in South and Central Asia has been made possible by the influx of grants, loans, mergers, and economic concessions for projects: In the middle of the Pamir mountains, near the remote Tajik-Afghan border area of Badakhshan, I find myself staring at a large red banner […]
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.