https://www.scmp.com/rss/501452/feed Kenyan journalist Jevans Nyabiage is the South China Morning Post's first Africa correspondent. Based in Nairobi, Jevans keeps an eye on China-Africa relations and also Chinese investments, ranging from infrastructure to energy and metal, on the continent. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage History was made this Labour Day, as China’s southern Shenzhen Bay port cleared 24 tonnes of South African apples and central Hunan province processed 6,000 bottles of South African wine – the first time these goods had reached the Asian economic giant under a new zero-tariff arrangement. The duty-free access for African partners from May 1, which saw the 10 per cent tariff rate for apples removed, arrived as a lifeline for South African exporters looking to diversify away from increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353101/why-chinas-new-duty-free-access-lifeline-south-african-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353101/why-chinas-new-duty-free-access-lifeline-south-african-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:24 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The United States is shifting strategy to fund local African processing and mining infrastructure, after recognising it cannot yet process the critical minerals it is racing to secure from the continent to counter China. Tom Haslett, managing director of policy for critical minerals at the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), said that unlike China, which had “significant industry backing for both processing and downstream manufacturing”, the US and Europe did not yet have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352730/rare-earth-strategy-provides-opportunities-africa-us-attempts-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352730/rare-earth-strategy-provides-opportunities-africa-us-attempts-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:07 +0000 Dulue Mbachu,Jevans Nyabiage Dulue Mbachu,Jevans Nyabiage As China’s role in Africa’s economy continues to grow, so do the opportunities for locals that can speak Chinese. The change is partially being driven by the expanding footprint of smaller Chinese companies, which would rather hire locally than bring their own staff from China, and by the increasing role played by African firms in trade. Few of the thousands of Chinese executives, managers and workers who pour into Africa every year are proficient in the languages of their host countries,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352458/ni-hao-new-hire-africas-growing-mandarin-job-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352458/ni-hao-new-hire-africas-growing-mandarin-job-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage For Washington, the Lobito Corridor rail project is meant to circumvent Chinese influence in Africa’s mineral supply chains. Once up and running, the corridor will stretch 1,600km (1,000 miles) westward through mineral-rich Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to create a logistics corridor to the Atlantic port of Lobito in neighbouring Angola. The United States sees it as a direct rival to the China-backed 1,860km Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara), which stretches eastward from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352324/why-african-leaders-value-seamless-transcontinental-links-over-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352324/why-african-leaders-value-seamless-transcontinental-links-over-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage African eels, frozen meat and rare earths now have one thing in common – at least in China. The commodities are among a wide variety of products that can enter the country tariff-free as part of a policy to help redress the continent’s massive trade imbalance with China. The zero-tariff policy has applied to 33 “least-developed” African countries since 2024 and, from May 1, has been expanded to include 20 “middle-income” African nations. The schedule will remain in effect for two years, covering... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352108/china-cuts-tariffs-african-goods-it-enough-close-trade-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352108/china-cuts-tariffs-african-goods-it-enough-close-trade-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Mozambique and China have agreed to map the vast, untapped deposits of critical minerals buried beneath the African nation’s resource-rich northern provinces, as Maputo seeks Chinese capital and security expertise to unlock one of the continent’s most coveted – and conflict-ridden – resource frontiers. The announcement was made in a joint statement issued after talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Mozambican counterpart Daniel Chapo in Beijing on Tuesday. The geological survey will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351346/china-and-mozambique-map-critical-minerals-insurgency-hit-cabo-delgado?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351346/china-and-mozambique-map-critical-minerals-insurgency-hit-cabo-delgado?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is backing Namibia’s bid to move beyond raw material exports by supporting the domestic processing of critical minerals and uranium. In a joint communique issued on Friday following talks in Beijing between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, China pledged to help transform Namibia’s natural resources into higher-value products through domestic processing and downstream cooperation. Namibia has exported unprocessed minerals for decades. It is now seeking... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:37:16 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage During Vice-President Han Zheng’s visit to Nairobi in March, China signed a cash grant for drought relief and recently delivered food aid to Somalia, Togo, Zimbabwe and Zambia – helping 217,057 people in Zambia and providing Zimbabwe with 5,000 tonnes of rice. Du Xiaohui, director general of the foreign ministry’s African affairs department, later affirmed that Beijing would help nations in Africa boost food security and agricultural resilience through emergency aid and long-term support for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350443/china-steps-aid-africa-huge-funding-gap-left-trumps-cuts-remains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350443/china-steps-aid-africa-huge-funding-gap-left-trumps-cuts-remains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The war in Iran and ensuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the risks of over-reliance on the Persian Gulf for oil, turning Beijing’s Mediterranean infrastructure plans from long-term goals into urgent strategic necessities. From Algerian oilfields to Moroccan battery factories and Egypt’s industrial base, China might now fast-track these projects to create a Mediterranean hub for a green-energy supply chain, observers said. Beijing aims to create a strategic backup that protects its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350427/why-china-urgently-looking-north-africa-energy-crisis-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350427/why-china-urgently-looking-north-africa-energy-crisis-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Africa was China’s fastest growing export market in the first quarter of 2026, up 32.1 per cent year on year to US$60.66 billion, according to customs data, reflecting a continuing shift away from American trade. The growth outpaced other regions of the world, driven by high-value shipments such as machinery and vehicles as well as hi-tech equipment, including solar and battery technology. It continued a trend of Chinese manufacturers turning to the continent to offload excess capacity,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350292/bye-bye-us-why-chinas-trade-africa-benefits-trumps-policy-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350292/bye-bye-us-why-chinas-trade-africa-benefits-trumps-policy-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Western governments and financiers increasingly avoid infrastructure projects that involve a Chinese presence as their geopolitical and economic rivalries intensify. Yet the Nairobi Railway City project stands as a rare exception. It combines British financing with Chinese construction and labour to build a major new public transport hub in the Kenyan capital. At the heart of the project is the proposed new Central station and a 172-hectare (425-acre) district that includes new businesses, homes... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349734/does-kenyan-rail-project-provide-model-chinese-and-western-firms-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349734/does-kenyan-rail-project-provide-model-chinese-and-western-firms-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Across major African cities such as Nairobi, Lusaka, and Abuja, governments are using surveillance technologies and credit lines from China to monitor public spaces and curb crime, a new survey shows. The UK-based Institute of Development Studies (IDS) said Chinese banks were increasingly funding African governments to build and maintain digital infrastructure – including surveillance cameras and command and control centres – under the “safe city” project, also known as “smart city”, which is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348916/chinese-surveillance-tech-rolled-out-africa-zte-hikvision-and-huawei-helm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348916/chinese-surveillance-tech-rolled-out-africa-zte-hikvision-and-huawei-helm?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Kenya has revived construction on its multibillion-dollar Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) extension that stalled more than six years ago, replacing heavy sovereign debt with innovative financing after renegotiating its loans with China. According to Kenyan officials, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and its subsidiary, China Road and Bridge Corporation, will build the railway’s two remaining sections at an estimated cost of US$5.4 billion. Kenyan President William Ruto earlier this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348406/china-and-kenya-partner-finish-most-consequential-rail-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348406/china-and-kenya-partner-finish-most-consequential-rail-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage For most people, ants are unwelcome guests at a picnic, but international demand for the insects is driving a new black market in East Africa, where it could threaten ant populations and the broader environment. In early March, 27-year-old Chinese national Zhang Kequn was detained at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, with more than 2,200 live queen ants packed in his luggage. Around the same time, Thai authorities seized a shipment of ants sent from the Kenyan port city of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348256/why-are-smugglers-swarming-east-africa-ants-send-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348256/why-are-smugglers-swarming-east-africa-ants-send-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China pledged to continue its support for South Africa on the same day that it emerged that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had been disinvited from this year’s Group of Seven (G7) summit in France following US threats to boycott the event. On Thursday, Pretoria said that Ramaphosa’s invitation – issued personally by French President Emmanuel Macron at last year’s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg – had been withdrawn because the organisers did not want a no-show from the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348226/can-reliable-friend-china-fill-gap-us-pressures-allies-snub-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348226/can-reliable-friend-china-fill-gap-us-pressures-allies-snub-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:00:41 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Kenya secured trade and infrastructure financing deals during Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng’s visit this week, but analysts cautioned that deepening ties were complicated by rising debt and Nairobi’s balancing act between global powers. The “early harvest” Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries grants Kenyan products – including tea, coffee and avocados – duty-free and quota-free access to the Chinese market starting in May. After talks with Han on Tuesday, Kenyan President... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348071/kenya-secures-trade-deal-china-rising-debt-us-competition-complicate-deeper-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348071/kenya-secures-trade-deal-china-rising-debt-us-competition-complicate-deeper-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is prioritising “strategic material security” under its new five-year plan, which elevates the supply and domestic stockpiling of critical resources to a matter of national security. Under its 15th five-year plan, Beijing has placed “key commodities” on the same strategic level as food and energy security, pledging a more proactive approach to bolstering “energy and resource supply security” by “preventing and mitigating major risks in systemically important areas”. To achieve this, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347132/china-stockpile-critical-resources-and-strengthen-energy-security-avoid-trade-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347132/china-stockpile-critical-resources-and-strengthen-energy-security-avoid-trade-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Resource-rich African nations are increasingly asserting control over critical minerals to maximise domestic returns, sending global prices soaring and exerting pressure on Chinese supply chains. One price crunch started last month when Zimbabwe, Africa’s biggest lithium producer, abruptly suspended exports of raw lithium minerals and concentrates. The country had originally planned to impose the ban in 2027 to encourage more local value-added processing of the mineral but the government brought... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346717/chinas-supply-chain-meets-wall-african-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346717/chinas-supply-chain-meets-wall-african-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:36:21 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Living in container houses under the constant shadow of terrorism, Chinese diplomats in Somalia represent the extreme front line of a new, assertive era in Beijing’s foreign policy. During a video call to staff at the Chinese embassy in Mogadishu, Foreign Minister Wang Yi laid bare the “complex and severe risks of terrorism”, using the situation in the war-torn nation as a stark reminder of why China was overhauling how it protected its citizens and interests overseas. The call was made in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346474/chinas-new-security-era-africa-protecting-assets-citizens-dr-congo-somalia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346474/chinas-new-security-era-africa-protecting-assets-citizens-dr-congo-somalia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage As conflict in the Middle East pushes oil beyond US$100 per barrel, Angola and other African producers are in line to be among the main beneficiaries. On Thursday, following renewed tanker attacks, Brent crude oil prices surged back past US$100 a barrel, having reached a peak of US$119.50 on Monday, the highest level since 2022. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint through which about 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products flowed daily, has crippled energy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346457/how-middle-east-conflict-and-soaring-oil-prices-will-affect-angolas-chinese-debt-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346457/how-middle-east-conflict-and-soaring-oil-prices-will-affect-angolas-chinese-debt-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Whenever South African officials meet their Chinese counterparts to talk trade, the issue of the imbalance in China’s favour is almost certainly raised. But a discrepancy in the data from the two sides makes it hard to assess the trade gap. The latest Chinese customs data suggests that South Africa actually holds a surplus – exporting more to the world’s second-largest economy than it receives in return. According to the numbers from Beijing, China recorded US$30.58 billion in imports from South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345939/us17-billion-question-why-china-and-south-africa-are-so-far-apart-trade-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345939/us17-billion-question-why-china-and-south-africa-are-so-far-apart-trade-data?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The United States was out in force in Cape Town this month, throwing down a direct challenge to China at Africa’s biggest mining conference, the Investing in African Mining Indaba. While Chinese firms showed their technological leadership with automation and green energy solutions, officials from the State Department, the Department of Energy and several US development agencies were among the record number of American diplomats and financiers at the event in South Africa. Analysts said the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344957/why-us-money-may-not-be-enough-break-chinas-rare-earths-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344957/why-us-money-may-not-be-enough-break-chinas-rare-earths-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has placed its nationals on high alert following a series of rebel attacks targeting the US$4.5 billion Niger-Benin oil pipeline and an Islamic State raid on the Nigerien capital’s international airport on January 29. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Niamey urged citizens to avoid high-risk areas and instructed firms to implement emergency response plans as insurgent groups increasingly target Chinese-managed infrastructure. The warning follows recent attacks on the pipeline and a predawn... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344831/why-beijings-us45-billion-niger-benin-oil-pipeline-being-attacked-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344831/why-beijings-us45-billion-niger-benin-oil-pipeline-being-attacked-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:30:00 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage From a satellite ground station in Namibia to an Egyptian laboratory in orbit, China has been building the hi-tech backbone of Africa’s space ambitions. Earlier this month, Beijing handed over a new satellite data ground station near Windhoek, Namibia – the latest in a growing network of space facilities across the continent built by China or with Chinese funding. The China-funded ground station at Windhoek’s Telecom Earth Station enables Namibia to process remote-sensing data from satellites,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344266/how-china-building-hi-tech-backbone-africas-space-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344266/how-china-building-hi-tech-backbone-africas-space-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Driven by Chinese demand, Zimbabwe produced a record 352.7 million kilograms of tobacco – valued at about US$1.2 billion – in last year’s marketing season. This represents a major turnaround for an industry that, if not for Chinese investment, would have nearly collapsed two decades ago, although it remains a crop of concern for health campaigners. As Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export and a primary foreign currency earner, tobacco dominates its trade with Beijing. Last year, China imported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343817/china-helps-zimbabwe-grow-us12-billion-tobacco-crop-amid-debt-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343817/china-helps-zimbabwe-grow-us12-billion-tobacco-crop-amid-debt-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China will not seek reciprocity in its latest trade agreement with South Africa, its ambassador said, as Beijing prepares to roll out an expanded zero-tariff policy for African nations from May 1. The deal means South African goods can enter the Chinese market tax-free without any requirement for Pretoria to reciprocate by lowering its own import duties on products from China. “In this process, China will fully accommodate South Africa’s interests and will not seek reciprocity,” Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343979/china-says-it-wont-seek-reciprocity-south-africa-zero-tariff-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343979/china-says-it-wont-seek-reciprocity-south-africa-zero-tariff-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese deals in Kenya often move from signing to construction in less than a year, according to the head of the African country’s investment agency, with most of the agreements signed during Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to Beijing in 2025 well under way. John Mwendwa, CEO of the Kenya Investment Authority (InvestKenya), noted that in contrast, projects funded by the West typically took longer due to stricter environmental, social and governance standards and complex regulatory... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343302/why-chinas-fast-turnaround-gives-its-projects-edge-kenya-over-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343302/why-chinas-fast-turnaround-gives-its-projects-edge-kenya-over-west?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:00:20 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In 1994, Richard Leiter, a South African entrepreneur, took a gamble on the then unknown Chinese commercial truck maker FAW with the introduction of the first Jiefang CA141 truck into the South African market. Two decades later, he had transitioned from importer to industrialist, with a sprawling assembly plant in the Coega special economic zone in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. FAW now outsells major brands like Toyota, Daimler and Isuzu in the heavy truck sector in South Africa, driven by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The route to challenging China’s supremacy in rare earth minerals lies in using artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to create synthetic substitutes or alloys, according to a prominent American expert in AI. Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, an AI and quantum technology Alphabet spin-off, said these technologies could cut the time required to secure critical materials to just a few years. This could bypass the traditional 10 to 20 years needed to bring a new mine online while also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage As France’s influence fades and with Russian weapons in limited supply, a “military vacuum” has been created in West and Central Africa that China is uniquely positioned to fill, according to analysts. In a January report in the official journal China Military to Civilian, arms supplier China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation said Beijing was leveraging its reputation for “cost-effective technology and flexible financing” in Africa. This follows a wave of military coups across... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342903/how-military-vacuum-west-and-central-africa-opened-new-markets-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342903/how-military-vacuum-west-and-central-africa-opened-new-markets-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Beijing’s push to internationalise the yuan is gaining a new vehicle in Africa as another major multilateral lender is set to diversify towards the Chinese currency to slash borrowing costs and reduce the risks of dollar volatility. Multilateral lender Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has confirmed that a debut panda bond issuance is “on the table for this year”, as it looks to deepen its ties with Chinese capital markets following last year’s successful triple-A Chinese rating. Banji Fehintola,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343347/africas-yuan-pivot-why-more-top-lenders-are-eyeing-chinas-bond-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343347/africas-yuan-pivot-why-more-top-lenders-are-eyeing-chinas-bond-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has appointed a new ambassador to Libya after its embassy in Tripoli reopened in November, more than a decade after it was shuttered over security concerns. Ma Xueliang’s appointment was confirmed when he met Libyan charge d’affaires Khaled al-Sayeh in Beijing on January 27 in his new capacity before he left for Tripoli, according to the state-owned Libyan News Agency. China had closed its embassy in Tripoli in 2014 and moved its diplomatic mission to Tunisia because of the security... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage As of January, Zambia has begun collecting taxes and royalties from Chinese mining firms in yuan, and will cycle the currency directly back to Beijing to fund imports and service loans. Experts said the shift reflected the southern African country’s urgent need to ease a US dollar shortage and manage debt, rather than geopolitical alignment, but also a quiet advance for China’s long-term strategy to internationalise its currency. It had also created a tangible blueprint for other resource-rich,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341799/chinas-plan-internationalise-yuan-quietly-takes-step-forward-zambia-gets-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341799/chinas-plan-internationalise-yuan-quietly-takes-step-forward-zambia-gets-board?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese lending to Africa dropped by nearly half to US$2.1 billion in 2024 compared with the previous year, according to a new report. The decline formed part of a decade-long trend. Lending had been on an upward trajectory since 2006 and peaked between 2012 and 2018 – a period that saw the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative – when it passed the US$10 billion mark each year. At its height in 2016, Beijing lent US$28.8 billion. But since 2020, the annual total has not crossed the US$5 billion... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341213/chinese-lending-africa-nearly-halves-year-priorities-shift-smaller-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341213/chinese-lending-africa-nearly-halves-year-priorities-shift-smaller-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:00:17 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China ramped up its exports to Africa last year, widening its trade surplus with the continent by 64.5 per cent to a record US$102 billion, according to Chinese customs figures. The jump in the trade gap – up from US$62 billion the previous year – was driven by a 25.8 per cent surge in Chinese exports to the continent to US$225 billion, far outpacing the 5.4 per cent growth in African shipments to China to US$123 billion, according to the latest data from China’s General Administration of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340674/chinese-goods-pour-africa-widening-trade-gap-record-us102-billion-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340674/chinese-goods-pour-africa-widening-trade-gap-record-us102-billion-amid-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent. In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy. Announced by Chinese Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan,Jevans Nyabiage Cao Jiaxuan,Jevans Nyabiage Last week’s naval drills involving China, Russia, Iran and host country South Africa signalled a shift for Brics beyond its traditional focus on economic cooperation, analysts said, as the US noted it had closely monitored the exercise. However, observers also described the high-profile exercise as largely symbolic, calling it a diplomatic statement of intent rather than a step towards a formal military alliance. The “Will for Peace 2026” drills were launched at a port in Cape Town on January 9... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340269/did-china-russia-iran-joint-naval-drills-south-africa-mark-notable-brics-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340269/did-china-russia-iran-joint-naval-drills-south-africa-mark-notable-brics-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Kenya has reached a preliminary trade deal with China for duty-free exports of key products including coffee, tea and cut flowers – a major step towards narrowing the East African nation’s long-standing trade gap with Beijing. The “early harvest” framework grants duty-free access to the Chinese market for 98.2 per cent of Kenyan exports, as announced by the Kenyan Ministry of Trade on Thursday – less than a month after negotiations closed on December 19. While the deal provides an immediate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340189/why-monumental-china-duty-free-trade-deal-has-kenya-wanting-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340189/why-monumental-china-duty-free-trade-deal-has-kenya-wanting-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Authorities in Mogadishu had cleared the roads for a historic visit, yet on Friday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travelled to Tanzania instead of Somalia as planned. It would have been the first high-level Chinese mission to Mogadishu in four decades. The last-minute decision not to include the capital on Wang’s itinerary came as Somalia seeks shows of diplomatic support after Israel recognised the breakaway region of Somaliland last month. A source at the presidential palace told local media... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339584/wang-yi-cites-severe-risks-after-somalia-dropped-africa-itinerary-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339584/wang-yi-cites-severe-risks-after-somalia-dropped-africa-itinerary-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:37:40 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China and the African Union issued a joint call to uphold an international law-based order, with particular respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, in a display of unity against Washington’s raid on Venezuela. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African Union chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed concerns over the events in Venezuela in a statement released after their meeting in Ethiopia on Thursday. The United States raided Venezuela on Saturday and abducted its leader Nicolas... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339294/china-fm-wang-yi-opens-africa-tour-united-call-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339294/china-fm-wang-yi-opens-africa-tour-united-call-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 06:34:20 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China will lead a joint naval exercise with Brics nations in South African waters next week – the bloc’s first such defence cooperation that is likely to raise alarm bells in Washington. The South African National Defence Force on Wednesday said the exercise – dubbed Will for Peace 2026 – would bring together “navies from Brics Plus countries for an intensive programme of joint maritime safety operations, interoperability drills and maritime protection serials” from January 9 to 16. It said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338479/china-lead-joint-naval-drills-brics-nations-south-african-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338479/china-lead-joint-naval-drills-brics-nations-south-african-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 06:00:22 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Washington is securing bilateral health deals with countries across Africa to ensure direct access to critical pathogen data and specimens following the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). Analysts say the US’ strategic retreat from multilateral organisations has created a vacuum that China is likely to exploit to deepen its influence within global health bodies and position itself as the main partner for the developing world. Under the “America First Global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338042/washington-lines-slew-health-deals-us-and-china-vie-influence-across-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338042/washington-lines-slew-health-deals-us-and-china-vie-influence-across-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has criticised Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, a move that prompted strong criticism from neighbouring countries. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that no country should “incite or support separatist forces” for “selfish interests”, characterising the territory as an “inseparable part” of Somalia. “China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and opposes any act of splitting Somali territory,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338054/china-hits-out-support-separatist-forces-after-israel-recognises-somaliland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338054/china-hits-out-support-separatist-forces-after-israel-recognises-somaliland?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:34:27 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In the heart of Algeria’s Sahara Desert, Chinese state-owned giant China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) has completed laying track on the PK330 Bridge, a final and critical link in a new railway designed to unlock the nation’s mineral wealth. The 6km (3.7-mile) bridge is part of the 950km railway linking the Gara Djebilet iron ore deposit in southwestern Tindouf province to the industrial hub of Bechar in the northeast. It was the “most technically demanding railway engineering feat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337896/how-algeria-could-help-china-plug-iron-ore-gaps-and-gain-pricing-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337896/how-algeria-could-help-china-plug-iron-ore-gaps-and-gain-pricing-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage More than six centuries ago, roughly 80 years ahead of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, Chinese admiral Zheng He reached the eastern coast of Africa with a massive fleet and a crew of more than 20,000 under his command. The Ming dynasty ships braved formidable waves and traversed vast distances on seven epic maritime expeditions to reach the shores of Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and finally the eastern coast of Africa. Despite his achievements, Zheng He remains largely absent from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337689/exhibition-traces-chinas-long-links-kenya-admiral-zheng-he-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337689/exhibition-traces-chinas-long-links-kenya-admiral-zheng-he-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese workers are returning to Africa in their thousands, reversing a decade-long decline and signalling a renewed focus on strategic mega-projects across the continent. In 2024, there were 90,793 Chinese workers on contracted projects and labour services on the continent, an increase of about 4 per cent over the 87,078 recorded the previous year, according to data from the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The upturn marks... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337009/chinese-workers-return-africa-lucrative-job-opportunities-beckon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337009/chinese-workers-return-africa-lucrative-job-opportunities-beckon?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Just days after Chinese ambassador Yang Renhuo met Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo to donate airport security inspection equipment, the West African nation was hit by a military coup that ousted Embalo. The November 26 coup marked yet another military takeover along Africa’s “coup belt”, adding Guinea-Bissau to nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger and Gabon that had recently seen leaders toppled. The political turmoil has raised the stakes for China’s vast economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336160/how-will-china-respond-latest-west-africa-coup-economic-footprint-expands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336160/how-will-china-respond-latest-west-africa-coup-economic-footprint-expands?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:35:08 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is cementing its image as a lasting partner across Africa by gifting high-profile infrastructure, such as presidential palaces and parliament buildings. A key example is the new US$32 million Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) headquarters in Abuja. Funded by China and set for handover by the end of January, this centralised complex for the 15-member bloc aims to boost staff productivity and cut operational costs. On December 4, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335984/china-built-headquarters-15-member-economic-bloc-strengthens-ties-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335984/china-built-headquarters-15-member-economic-bloc-strengthens-ties-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The Simandou mountain range in southeastern Guinea, once a dense forest where exploration teams relied on GPS and helicopters to navigate, has yielded vast reserves of its sought-after high-grade iron ore after decades of delay. Workers struggled to define the layout of the thick forest before clearing the trees and brush at the site set for the Simandou Iron Ore project, “as it was nothing but darkness”, according to Chris Aitchison, the managing director for Rio Tinto’s Simfer joint... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335862/first-china-ore-shipment-rewards-guinea-coup-leaders-push-simandou-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335862/first-china-ore-shipment-rewards-guinea-coup-leaders-push-simandou-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China’s big money is returning to African infrastructure as its state-owned firms evolve from mere builders into long-term financiers and operators. This is so they have enough “skin in the game”, according to one analyst, as Beijing seeks lasting influence over key transport routes and critical mineral supply chains in Africa. Across the continent, these companies are increasingly financing, building and operating key infrastructure under public-private partnerships (PPP). This financing model... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335506/skin-game-china-pivots-operating-african-railways-ports-funding-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335506/skin-game-china-pivots-operating-african-railways-ports-funding-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 04:00:14 +0000