Belarus: A Strategic Point For China’s Belt and Road Initiative
February 24th, 2025
Via Blue Europe, a report on Belarus, a strategic point to China’s BRI: 1. Introduction At the moment, the EU and China are each other’s largest trading partners (Leali, 2020). In particular, in 2022, China accounted for around 9 percent of goods exports of the entire EU and 20 percent of the EU good imports […]
Read more »China Set To Extend Reach in South Pacific with Cook Islands Deal
February 14th, 2025
Via The Washington Post, commentary on the recent agreement between China and the Cook Islands: China and the South Pacific nation of the Cook Islands are poised to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership deal on Friday, raising alarm that Beijing is extending its reach into the region in ways that could have security and environmental consequences. […]
Read more »Panama Symbolizes Global Sino-American Struggle For Influence
February 14th, 2025
Via The Economist, commentary on how China and America’s struggle over the Panama Canal symbolizes the greater Sino-American struggle for influence: Panama responded quickly to Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Chinese influence in the Panama Canal. On February 2nd it said it would not renew participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (bri), China’s global-development scheme, and it […]
Read more »China: Can Fill West’s Role In Africa In Three Ways
February 12th, 2025
Via The Asia Times, a look at how Chinese investment in critical minerals, arms sales and influence building through regional mediation are all wide open as the West exits Africa: With France fast losing its influence in west Africa’s Sahel region and an unpredictable US president in power, will China fill the vacuum? The Sahel […]
Read more »The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the Limits of China’s BRI Agency
February 4th, 2025
Via The Diplomat, a report on how CMEC and other Chinese business activities in Myanmar show how exposed China is to escalating conflict risks, and offer insight to the role it is playing in the ongoing civil war: Since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the country has experienced a resurgence of political violence. Fighting […]
Read more »Ruili on Edge: A Chinese Border City Loses Its Mojo
January 29th, 2025
Via The Diplomat, an article on how a onetime boom-town has struggled to adapt to domestic policy shifts, anti-fraud campaigns, and the escalating civil war across the border in Myanmar: On January 5, the 2024 Ruili China and Muse Myanmar Cross-Border Marathon came to an end. This event, marked by its distinctive “One Marathon, Two […]
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.