Via China Strategy, an article on how a railway in Algeria may help China de-risk its iron ore supply chain: China currently depends largely on Australia and Brazil for its iron ore, the primary raw material for making steel. Beijing is hoping supply from the Gara Djebilet mine, which has reserves of around 3.5 billion […]
Read more »Via Semafor, an article on Tanzania’s efforts to use media to attract Chinese tourists: Tanzania is once again turning to film to attract tourists but this time focused on visitors from China. A new documentary, dubbed “Amazing Tanzania,” is scheduled to premiere in May featuring Chinese actor Jin Dong, who is also a tourism goodwill ambassador […]
Read more »Via Geopolitical Futures, a report on how corruption, delays and boondoggles are transforming the Belt and Road Initiative: Last week, the head of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection laid out the watchdog’s main goals for this year. His report focused on eliminating corruption and unhealthy practices associated with Beijing’s gargantuan, globe-spanning infrastructure development plan, […]
Read more »Courtesy of Asia Times, an article on the Funan Techo Canal which will allow Cambodia to bypass Vietnam for its international trade and pull it even tighter into Beijing’s sphere of influence: Cambodia wants to divert Southeast Asia’s Mekong River into a planned US$1.7 billion, Chinese-financed shipping canal to reach a deep-sea port at Kep […]
Read more »Via South China Morning Post, a report on China’s plans to woo belt and road partners at ‘digital silk road’ forum in April amid an increasingly divided cyberspace: The Digital Silk Road Development Forum will kick off on April 16 in Xian, capital of western Shaanxi province With China at odds with Western countries in data […]
Read more »Via Mongabay, a report on the Bikita Minerals lithium mine in Zimbabwe where local communities accuse the government and Chinese mining company Sinomine Resource Group of sidelining environmental and social standards in the scramble for lithium: At the end of November last year, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Sinomine Resource Group chair Wang Pingwei walked […]
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