<![CDATA[Sinica: China-Global South ]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/s/china-global-southhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hki0!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2502d26c-e974-417b-878d-0571b80581f6_600x600.pngSinica: China-Global South https://www.sinicapodcast.com/s/china-global-southSubstackSun, 13 Sep 2026 10:47:15 GMT<![CDATA[How China Is Viewed Around the World ]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-china-is-viewed-around-the-worldhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-china-is-viewed-around-the-worldTue, 01 Sep 2026 09:46:22 GMTPublic opinion toward China is improving across much of the world, especially in emerging economies across Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia. At the same time, perceptions of the United States have weakened, particularly around its reliability and contribution to global peace and stability.

Younger people are especially likely to view China positively, shaped increasingly by technology, consumer brands, social media, and infrastructure rather than Cold War-era narratives. But attitudes toward China and the U.S. are not necessarily zero-sum.

Laura Silver, an associate director at the Pew Research Center, joins Eric and Cobus to unpack the Pew Research Center’s polling findings on how China is viewed around the world, why China’s image is improving, what is driving support among younger people and in the Global South, and what the numbers reveal about shifting perceptions of the world’s two largest powers.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode:
Why global views of China are improving
What Pew’s 37-country survey reveals about China
Why younger people view China more favorably
Declining confidence in the United States globally
How Chinese technology and consumer brands shape perceptions
Why U.S.-China public opinion is not zero-sum

Show Notes:
Views of China and Xi Are Improving Globally by Laura Silver, Jonathan Schulman , Laura Clancy and William Miner - https://www.pewresearch.org/global/20...

Afrobarometer: African insights 2026: Beyond borders: Citizen perspectives on a shifting global order - https://www.afrobarometer.org/feature...

Foreign Affairs: How China Is Winning Friends and Influencing People by Eric Olander and Lizzi Lee - https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/...

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X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @pewresearch I @stadenesque
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]]><![CDATA[China’s BRI Is Bigger Than Ever. It Just Looks Very Different]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-bri-is-bigger-than-ever-ithttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-bri-is-bigger-than-ever-itSun, 23 Aug 2026 10:43:00 GMTAfter the pandemic, as Chinese state-backed lending to developing countries largely dried up, critics declared the Belt and Road Initiative effectively dead. They were wrong. This year, China’s financial engagement with BRI countries reached another record, driven by larger deals, private companies, green energy, and a growing focus on industrial development.

Chinese firms are increasingly investing in processing, manufacturing, batteries, and other higher-value activities rather than focusing primarily on infrastructure and resource extraction. According to the latest data from the Green Finance & Development Center, BRI engagement reached its highest level for any first six months since the initiative launched in 2013.

Christoph Nedopil, lead author of the report and a professor at the University of Queensland, joins Eric to discuss how the BRI is evolving, including changes in how projects are financed, where capital is deployed, and which industries are attracting Chinese investment.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode:
🌏 Record-breaking BRI engagement
💰 New financing models
🏗️ Return of mega-deals
⚡ Green energy expansion
⛏️ Shift from extraction to processing
🌍 Africa’s BRI surge

Show Notes:
Green Development Finance Center: China’s investment and construction engagement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 2026 H1 - https://greenfdc.org/chinas-investmen...

Financial Times: China pours funding into green energy deals as Iran war hits oil demand by Edward White - https://www.ft.com/content/221aac60-8...

Semafor: Chinese investments in Africa soar to $34 billion so far this year by Yinka Adegoke - https://www.semafor.com/article/07/27...

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]]><![CDATA[China's View of India Has Changed. Is New Delhi Ready?]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-view-of-india-has-changedhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-view-of-india-has-changedMon, 10 Aug 2026 08:33:26 GMTChina and India are entering a cautious period of diplomatic re-engagement after years of confrontation, but deep strategic mistrust, unresolved border disputes, and competing security interests continue to define the relationship. Economic cooperation is gradually resuming even as political tensions remain unresolved.

At the same time, shifting global power dynamics are reshaping the balance between Asia’s two largest powers.

Sushant Singh, a lecturer in South Asian studies at Yale University, joins Eric from New Delhi to explain how changing Chinese perceptions of India, evolving trade priorities, BRICS diplomacy, and the broader U.S.-China rivalry are creating new opportunities for engagement while reinforcing the structural challenges that make a lasting rapprochement difficult.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

🇨🇳 Why China’s view of India is changing
🏔️ The slow thaw after the Galwan border crisis
🤝 Can trade recover despite political mistrust?
🌏 How U.S.-China rivalry is reshaping India-China ties
🌐 BRICS, the Quad, and Asia’s evolving strategic landscape
🔮 What comes next for one of the world’s most consequential relationships

Show Notes:
1. South China Morning Post: India and China revive Himalayan trade at high-altitude pass by Junaid Kathju - https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politi...
2. The Diplomat: Why India Does Not Interest China by Akhilesh Pillalamarri - https://thediplomat.com/2026/06/why-i...
3. East Asia Forum: China–India rapprochement is tactical, not strategic by Chietigj Bajpaee - https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/05/25/...

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]]><![CDATA[How China Wants to Rewrite Global Governance]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-china-wants-to-rewrite-globalhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-china-wants-to-rewrite-globalSat, 01 Aug 2026 03:32:53 GMTChina is moving quickly to expand its influence over global governance as the United States steps back from its traditional leadership role. Earlier this month, President Xi Jinping unveiled the World Artificial Intelligence Organization, a new Shanghai-based institution with 29 founding members, most from Asia and Africa, that Beijing hopes will help shape the global rules governing AI.

The new organization is the latest in a series of Chinese initiatives aimed at reshaping the international order to better reflect Beijing’s priorities. Through efforts such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and now the WAIO, China is positioning itself not just as a participant in the existing system, but as an architect of new global rules.

Yu Jie, a senior research fellow on China at Chatham House in London, joins Eric to discuss whether Beijing can turn its diplomatic ambitions into lasting influence and why many countries in the Global South are receptive to China’s vision.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

  • China’s vision for reshaping global governance

  • Why AI is central to Beijing’s diplomatic strategy

  • The World Artificial Intelligence Organization (WAIO)

  • Why the Global South is embracing China’s initiatives

  • Can China match its ambitions with resources?

  • How Beijing’s approach differs from the West

Show Notes:

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

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]]><![CDATA[ What the Iran War Reveals About China’s Power in the Persian Gulf]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/what-the-iran-war-reveals-about-chinashttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/what-the-iran-war-reveals-about-chinasSun, 26 Jul 2026 04:13:07 GMTThere’s an emerging consensus that China is among the chief beneficiaries of the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. While Beijing has undoubtedly welcomed Washington becoming entangled in yet another war in West Asia, and continues to reap commercial gains from booming exports of electric vehicles and other technologies, the conflict is also exposing the limits of China’s geopolitical influence.

China is, first and foremost, a commercial power in the Persian Gulf. Beyond trade and investment, however, it has little diplomatic, political, or security leverage to shape the course of the conflict or influence the region’s postwar order.

Jonathan Fulton, an associate professor at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and author of the China-MENA Newsletter, joins Eric to examine why China’s economic footprint in the Gulf has not translated into strategic influence.

Show Notes:

Sign up to The China-MENA Substack Newsletter:

https://chinamenanewsletter.substack....

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]]><![CDATA[ The Limits of China’s Iran Diplomacy]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/the-limits-of-chinas-iran-diplomacyhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/the-limits-of-chinas-iran-diplomacyMon, 20 Jul 2026 08:36:20 GMTThe U.S. and China clashed at the United Nations last week, with each accusing the other of fueling instability in the Persian Gulf. Washington has long argued that Beijing plays a pivotal role in the conflict as the largest buyer of Iranian oil and a supplier of dual-use technologies that could support Tehran’s military.

Many experts, however, dispute that assessment. They argue that China’s ability to influence Iran is far more limited than commonly assumed and that there is little evidence Tehran would bow to Chinese pressure on matters of national security. Nor is there any indication that Beijing is willing to use whatever leverage it may have.

Jesse Marks, CEO of the Asia-Middle East consultancy Rihla Research & Advisory and a leading scholar of Chinese diplomacy in the region, joins Eric to explain why Beijing is likely to remain a largely passive player, both as the war continues and in whatever political settlement eventually emerges.

Show Notes:
- East Asia Forum: Iran’s bid for Beijing’s backing meets its limits by Jesse Marks - https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/08/22/...
- Arab Gulf States Institute: China’s Mediation Ceiling in the Iran War by Jesse Marks https://agsi.org/analysis/chinas-medi...
- Gulf International Forum: Parallel, Not Replacement: Why China Can’t Supplant U.S. Security in the Gulf by Jesse Marks & Chenjie Song - https://gulfif.org/parallel-not-repla...

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode
1. China and the U.S. clash at the UN
2. Does Beijing have leverage over Iran?
3. Why China’s diplomacy has limits
4. Pakistan’s role in Iran mediation
5. The future Gulf security order
6. What China wants after the war

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X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander
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]]><![CDATA[Why China Is Winning the Iran War]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-china-is-winning-the-iran-warhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-china-is-winning-the-iran-warTue, 14 Jul 2026 07:41:29 GMTWith open conflict between the U.S. and Iran now underway again, it’s still too early to determine which side will ultimately prevail. But one point is gaining broad agreement among analysts: China is one of the few major powers that stands to benefit from the war.

The conflict has accelerated several trends that work in Beijing’s favor. It has driven greater use of the Chinese yuan in international trade, boosted exports of Chinese solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles, and, perhaps most importantly, stretched U.S. military resources. Some analysts now argue that the strain has made the Pentagon’s long-standing ambition of being able to fight two major wars simultaneously increasingly unrealistic.

Ahmed Aboudou, an associate fellow at Chatham House in London and head of the China section at the Emirates Policy Center in Abu Dhabi, is among the scholars who believe the war has created significant strategic opportunities for Beijing. He joins Eric to explain why Chinese policymakers may be quietly pleased with how the conflict is unfolding.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode
1. China’s strategic gains from the Iran war
2. The yuan’s expanding international role
3. Why Chinese exports are surging
4. The strain on U.S. military capacity
5. Is the Pentagon’s two-war strategy over?
6. How Beijing views the unfolding conflict

Join the Discussion:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander
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]]><![CDATA[China's Economy Is Stronger and Weaker Than You Think]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-economy-is-stronger-and-weakerhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-economy-is-stronger-and-weakerFri, 19 Jun 2026 17:11:29 GMTTwo very different narratives about China’s economy emerged this week. In France, G7 leaders pushed back against what they see as China’s growing dominance in key industries. In Beijing, meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry urged observers to look beyond data showing acute economic weakness.

The reality is that China’s economy is so large and complex that both narratives can be true at the same time.

Ker Gibbs, a longtime China-based executive and former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, explores this contradiction in his new book, The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities. Ker joins Eric from San Francisco to discuss his decades of experience working in China and what companies in Africa, Asia, and elsewhere need to understand before entering the Chinese market today.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode
China’s competing narratives of economic strength and weakness
Why weak consumer demand remains a major challenge
The role of exports in sustaining China’s growth model
How Xi Jinping’s policies are reshaping the economy
What foreign companies need to know before entering the Chinese market
Why China’s economic trajectory matters for the Global South

Show Notes:
Amazon: The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities by Ker Gibbs - https://tinyurl.com/ymmnce9t

Join the Discussion:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander
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]]><![CDATA[China Flexes Power In Panama Canal Clash]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/china-flexes-power-in-panama-canalhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/china-flexes-power-in-panama-canalTue, 12 May 2026 13:52:01 GMTWhen Panama’s Supreme Court ruled that Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison’s operation of two ports on either side of the Panama Canal was unconstitutional, President Jose Raul Mulina said at the time that he wasn’t too concerned about China retaliating.

Now, several months later, Mulina and other Panamanian officials are becoming increasingly concerned that this is precisely what’s happening after China detained dozens of Panamanian-flagged vessels or “inspections.” Separately, China called on the two shipping companies, Maersk and MSC, slated to take over operations of the Panamanian ports vacated by CK Hutchison, to reconsider — insinuating there could be severe consequences if they don’t comply.

Pedro Armada, managing partner at Armada Risk Consulting, is following the events closely from Panama City and joins Eric to discuss the increasingly difficult position the government finds itself in between the U.S. and an increasingly assertive China.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • China’s response to Panama’s port ruling

  • Rising tensions around the Panama Canal

  • Delays targeting Panamanian-flagged ships

  • U.S. pressure on Chinese influence

  • Maersk and MSC caught in the middle

  • The bigger U.S.-China rivalry

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

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Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[Is Vietnam Drifting Closer Toward China?]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/is-vietnam-drifting-closer-towardhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/is-vietnam-drifting-closer-towardFri, 08 May 2026 05:14:44 GMTTies between China and Vietnam appear to be improving across every front. Vietnam is selling more to China, while China is investing more in its southern neighbor. Even on thorny territorial issues in the South China Sea, the two sides said they’re talking through their differences.

And last month, Vietnamese leader To Lam traveled to China in his capacity as both General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the country, a model many say was inspired by the Chinese political structure.

All of this has prompted discussion among some Vietnamese analysts that Hanoi is swinging in Beijing’s direction.

But Khang Vu, a visiting scholar in Vietnamese political science at Boston College, strongly disagrees. Khang joins Eric to discuss why Hanoi’s longstanding commitment to non-alignment among the major powers remains the bedrock of Vietnamese foreign policy.

Show Notes:

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • Vietnam–China relations: perception vs. reality

  • The “Four No’s” and non-aligned foreign policy

  • Tho Lam’s Beijing visit and key takeaways

  • South China Sea tensions and regional dynamics

  • Tech, trade, and Huawei: strategic hedging

  • Navigating U.S.–China rivalry and global pressure

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

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Join us on Patreon!
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]]><![CDATA[Iran War Boosts China’s Energy Strategy]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/iran-war-boosts-chinas-energy-strategyhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/iran-war-boosts-chinas-energy-strategyFri, 01 May 2026 10:21:55 GMTSales of Chinese renewable energy products surged to record highs in March in response to the disruption of oil and gas supplies brought on by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

Shipments of Chinese-made electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels all surged as countries and consumers around the world moved quickly to insulate themselves from worsening oil shocks.

Tim McDonell, climate and energy editor at the online news site Semafor, joins Eric to explain how China has spent the past 40 years preparing for what’s happening in today’s energy market.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • Impact of the Iran war on global energy markets

  • Southeast Asia’s vulnerability to fossil fuel disruptions

  • Surge in Chinese clean energy exports and technology

  • Energy security is shifting from economics to national defense

  • Risks of dependence on Chinese energy supply chains

  • U.S.–China competition in the future of energy systems

Show Notes:

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

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Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[Why 3 African States Said No to Taiwan]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-3-african-states-said-no-to-taiwanhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-3-african-states-said-no-to-taiwanSat, 25 Apr 2026 00:26:21 GMTTaiwan President Lai Ching-te was forced to cancel a scheduled visit to Eswatini this week after Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Madagascar revoked Lai’s flight permits. Authorities in Taipei immediately accused Beijing of using economic coercion against these three countries, a narrative that was quickly picked up by the international media and conservative lawmakers in the U.S.

There is no evidence supporting the claim of coercion or the reported threat that China would impose economic sanctions or revoke debt relief against these three countries. In fact, none of the African countries involved is in any kind of debt distress to China.

Eric, Géraud, and Cobus discuss why it was likely the exercise of African agency, rather than any pressure from China, that prompted the decision to close off their airspace to Lai’s plane.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

  • Why Taiwan’s Africa trip was suddenly canceled

  • Claims of Chinese “economic coercion” examined

  • The reality of African countries’ debt exposure to China

  • How US media and policymakers framed the story

  • Why African states had little incentive to say yes

  • The role of China’s red lines in global diplomacy

  • How narratives diverge from facts in global coverage

  • What this reveals about Africa’s agency in foreign policy

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque | @christiangeraud

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Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[China’s Economic Relationship With Africa Is Entering a New Phase]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-economic-relationship-withhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-economic-relationship-withTue, 31 Mar 2026 03:41:11 GMTChinese Vice President Han Zheng was in Kenya last week, where he oversaw the first shipment of agricultural products that will enter the Chinese market duty-free. There’s a lot of excitement across the continent about China’s removal of all import tariffs for goods from 53 African countries.

But Yan Liang, an economics professor at Willamette University, argues that reducing the swelling trade deficit most African countries now have with China won't make much of a difference. Yan joins Eric to discuss a recent paper she wrote that explores China’s evolving economic relationship with Africa and how the continent’s lack of industrial capacity, among other factors, will keep the trade relationship between these two regions largely intact.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • China’s changing financial role in Africa

  • New lending and investment patterns

  • Rising debt repayments and pressures

  • Growth of RMB financing in Africa

  • Trade imbalances and structural challenges

  • What China’s economy means for Africa

Show Notes:

  • International Development Economics Associates: China’s Evolving Role in Africa: Banker, Debt Collector and Rescuer by Yan Liang: https://tinyurl.com/mrybak59

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud

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]]><![CDATA[It’s Already Too Late to Break China’s EV Battery Dominance]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/its-already-too-late-to-break-chinashttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/its-already-too-late-to-break-chinasTue, 17 Mar 2026 08:02:12 GMTU.S., European, and Japanese leaders are all talking about the urgency of building new supply chains to end their reliance on China for critical minerals and batteries that will power next-generation mobility, technology, and weapons. It all sounds great and makes for good politics at home, but the reality is that China’s dominance of these vital supply chains is so big and still growing that it will be nearly impossible to close the gap anytime soon.

Zeyi Yang, a senior writer covering technology and business at Wired, recently detailed this phenomenon in a cover article for the magazine about how “Chinese EV batteries are eating the world.” Zeyi joins Eric to discuss why it’s going to be so difficult for the rest of the world to match China’s near-total dominance of this increasingly vital sector.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • China’s 80% dominance in EV batteries

  • Why Chinese firms are expanding globally

  • Key players like CATL, BYD, and Goshen

  • Expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia

  • Local tensions over the environment and labor

  • Batteries as a strategic energy resource

Show Notes:

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

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Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[View From Beijing: Why China is Not Protecting Iran]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/view-from-beijing-why-china-is-nothttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/view-from-beijing-why-china-is-notFri, 13 Mar 2026 00:17:12 GMTConservative media outlets and think tank analysts in the United States have sharply criticized China for what they say is Beijing’s failure to support its supposed “allies” in Venezuela and Iran. Their arguments have gained traction on X and other social media platforms, where critics portray China as an unreliable partner that avoids confrontation, especially with the United States.

Other analysts dispute that interpretation. Scholars such as Evan Feigenbaum of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argue the criticism rests on a flawed assumption: that China’s relationships with countries like Iran resemble the formal alliance commitments the United States maintains with its partners. In reality, Beijing’s partnerships carry no comparable security guarantees.

In a recent Foreign Policy article, Wang Zichen, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization, pushes back against these critiques. He outlines China’s strategic priorities and explains why Beijing is unlikely to offer the kind of security commitments that define U.S. alliances.

Zichen joins Eric to discuss why China structures its global relationships differently—and why Beijing has little intention of acting as a security patron for partners like Iran.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

  • Why U.S. critics say China is abandoning its partners

  • Why China does not treat Iran or Venezuela as formal allies

  • The difference between U.S. alliances and Chinese partnerships

  • How China’s domestic priorities shape its foreign policy

  • Why Beijing avoids acting as a global security guarantor

  • What this debate reveals about U.S. and Chinese strategic thinking

Show Notes:

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

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Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[How a Little-Known Chinese Company Conquered Africa’s Cell Phone Market]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-a-little-known-chinese-companyhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/how-a-little-known-chinese-companyTue, 24 Feb 2026 09:46:56 GMTShenzhen-based Transsion Holdings is now a massive Chinese technology company that few people outside of Africa and certain parts of Asia have heard of. Even in China, the brand, now the world’s 5th-largest mobile phone producer, remains largely unknown.

Transsion gained notoriety after it entered the African market in 2006. Back then, the world’s largest phone brands all but ignored African consumers, selling low-end, late-model devices designed primarily for Western and Asian consumers.

The Chinese company saw an opportunity and tweaked the software on its phones to optimize photos for darker skin tones, and added a suite of features like dual SIM cards, dustproofing, and longer battery life to sell sub-$100 phones to Africa’s booming youth market. That formula worked, and the company’s three brands, Tecno, Infinix, and iTel, have dominated the market for more than a decade.

But little is known about how Transsion achieved its success in Africa. Lu Miao, an assistant professor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, joins Eric & Cobus to lay out the company’s strategy and why it was so effective in a market that others largely ignored.

Purchase the book: The Transsion Approach: Translating Chinese Mobile Technology in Africa by Lu Miao: https://a.co/d/04AKaajZ

📌 Topics covered in this episode:

• Why rural-first strategy beat Silicon Valley-style scaling
• How African distributors helped shape product design and marketing
• The importance of dual SIM cards, long battery life, and localized features
• The role of Carlcare repair centers in building long-term loyalty
• The shift from feature phones to smartphones and rising competition
• Growing patent lawsuits and the next phase of AI-driven competition

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

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Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[Why the U.S. Development Finance Corporation Shouldn’t be Used to Compete With China]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-the-us-development-finance-corporationhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-the-us-development-finance-corporationWed, 11 Feb 2026 03:50:59 GMTWhen the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) was launched in 2019, a big part of its mandate from Congress was to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative. That sentiment was a key theme on Capitol Hill late last year during the DFC’s Congressional reauthorization, when lawmakers from both parties made urgent appeals for the agency to do more to challenge China in the Global South.

Congress nearly tripled the DRC’s budget from $60 billion to $205 billion to be used over the next five years. While that is a substantial increase, it’s just a small fraction of what Chinese entities spend each year on BRI projects.

Karthik Sankaran and Dan Ford, researchers at the Quincy Institute in Washington, D.C., join Eric to discuss why they contend it’s a bad idea for the DFC to compete head-on with China, rather than focus on its original mandate to build market capacity in poorer nations.

📌 Topics covered in this episode:

• The expanded mandate and six-year reauthorization of the US Development Finance Corporation
• Why countering China now drives US development finance strategy
• How the DFC compares with China’s Belt and Road Initiative
• The limits of development finance as a tool of great power competition
• Critical minerals energy, and supply chains as DFC priorities
• The Lobito Corridor and overlapping US-China interests
• Why Global South countries resist choosing sides
• How the DFC could compete more effectively by focusing on development

Show Notes:
Responsible Statecraft: US capital investments for something other than beating China by Karthik Sankaran and Dan Ford - https://tinyurl.com/yx6r3vsc

Join the Discussion:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: / @chinaglobalsouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:

French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[ Why the Belt and Road Is Back in a Big Way]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-the-belt-and-road-is-back-inhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/why-the-belt-and-road-is-back-inTue, 03 Feb 2026 08:36:52 GMTThere’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the financial health of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Critics contend the BRI became overstretched, bankrupting borrowers and straining creditors suffering from a weakening Chinese economy.

Even the Chinese government sought to reframe the BRI with its “small yet beautiful” tagline to reflect a new era of purported austerity.

And while all of that was certainly true when it comes to state-backed Chinese entities that used to be at the forefront of the BRI, new data from Griffith University in Australia and the Green Finance and Development Center at Fudan University reveal that Chinese private enterprises are now leading the way.

Christoph Nedopil, director of the Griffith Asia Institute, joins Eric to review the 2025 BRI data and explain what drove a record year of BRI engagement worldwide.

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the financial health of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Critics contend the BRI became overstretched, bankrupting borrowers and straining creditors suffering from a weakening Chinese economy.

Even the Chinese government sought to reframe the BRI with its “small yet beautiful” tagline to reflect a new era of purported austerity.

And while all of that was certainly true when it comes to state-backed Chinese entities that used to be at the forefront of the BRI, new data from Griffith University in Australia and the Green Finance and Development Center at Fudan University reveal that Chinese private enterprises are now leading the way.

Christoph Nedopil, director of the Griffith Asia Institute, joins Eric to review the 2025 BRI data and explain what drove a record year of BRI engagement worldwide.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:55 The Data
01:39 Introducing the Guest - Christoph NEDOPIL WANG
02:10 China’s Belt and Road investment surge in 2025
04:42 Any Connections with the U.S.?
06:32 Energy Sector
11:15 Debt Sustainability Analysis
13:22 Africa’s Return as a Top Destination for Chinese Investment
14:46 U.S. Tariffs
17:34 The Growing Role of Chinese Private Companies Overseas
20:52 Upcoming Trends
23:27 End of the Interview
24:23 Conclusion

Show Notes:
- Green Finance and Development Center: China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Investment Report 2025 (https://greenfdc.org/china-belt-and-r...)
- Financial Times: Beijing pours cash into Belt and Road financing in global resources grab by Edward White (https://www.ft.com/content/ab8ef57c-6...)
- The Economist: China’s Belt and Road Initiative is booming again (https://www.economist.com/china/2025/...)

Join the Discussion:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: @chinaglobalsouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:
French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[China's Place in the New Post-American International Order]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-place-in-the-new-post-americanhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-place-in-the-new-post-americanFri, 23 Jan 2026 23:42:45 GMTCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week will likely be remembered as one of the most significant orations of the early 21st century. Carney channeled the fear and frustration of many global leaders when he defiantly declared that the U.S.-led international order is over.

The “rupture” that Carney referenced in his address has profound consequences for China as it moves to reshape a part of this new international order to better align with its interests.

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a senior research scholar at Columbia University, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss why this is such a pivotal time for China as it moves to become a peer power of the United States, at least economically, without triggering the so-called “Thuycides Trap” that dictates this kind of rivalry often leads to war.

Show Notes:
Foreign Affairs: China’s Long Economic War — How Beijing Builds Leverage for Indefinite Competition by Zongyuan Zoe Liu

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:30 The collapse of the rules-based international order
01:52 Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos
07:25 Introducing the Guest - Zongyuan Zoe Liu
08:13 Zoe’s Reaction to Carney’s Speech
12:47 China’s Reaction to the Speech
13:55 Where China Fits in the New Global Order
18:55 How China’s Rise Changed the Global System
22:52 China and Emerging Markets
29:31 Consumption Power in China and the Global South’s Trust Gap
38:57 “Thuycides Trap”, Credibility and the Debt Trap
47:26 China as a Global Power and a Developing Country
55:56 End of the Interview
56:42 China’s Credibility Gap Issues
01:00:57 Independent Media’s Pushback - China & the U.S. Cases
01:02:29 China’s State Centric Nature
01:04:17 U.S. Softpower Declining
01:08:34 Conclusion

Join the Discussion:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: / @chinaglobalsouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:
French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

]]><![CDATA[ China's Low-Key Response to the Iran Crisis]]>https://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-low-key-response-to-the-iranhttps://www.sinicapodcast.com/p/chinas-low-key-response-to-the-iranWed, 21 Jan 2026 01:26:05 GMTChina was among the first and most vocal opponents of the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro. Curiously, though, when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to launch military strikes against Iran as Tehran dealt with a massive popular uprising, China was largely silent.

Both Venezuela and Iran have high-level strategic partnerships with China, yet the Chinese leadership’s responses to the crises in each country are radically different.

William (Bill) Figuerora, a leading China-Iran scholar and an assistant professor at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, joins Eric to discuss his latest CGSP column, which explains Beijing’s low-key response and why the strategy is often misunderstood by many U.S. and European stakeholders.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:59 China’s Reaction
02:35 Introducing the Guest - William (Bill) Figuerora
03:13 Why the Reaction from China is Different
05:18 The Protests Compared to Nepal, Kenya, Philippines Protests
06:26 China-Iran Relations
15:12 China’s Response to Venezuela vs Iran’s Response
18:49 Debunking the Myth of a Deep, All-weather China–Iran Alliance
21:48 Why China Won’t Intervene Militarily
25:10 Strait of Hormuz
29:50 Misguided Narratives
30:41 Israel’s Importance to China
34:55 Conclusion

JOIN THE DISCUSSION
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander |
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: /@chinaglobalsouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:
French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

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