China said Friday that it will “continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate” tensions in the Middle East after Iranian media reported explosions heard near the city of Isfahan and US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival. “China opposes any actions that further escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate the situation,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Afr ..read more

Beijing’s bid to build influence across the Solomon Islands hit a major snag Friday, with the pro-China premier of the Pacific nation’s most populous province set to lose his seat in country-wide elections. Malaita premier Martin Fini, who has overseen the swift expansion of Chinese interests in the province, lost his re-election bid, according to provisional results reported by the Solomon Islands’ public broadcaster. For years the province of Malaita refused to accept aid or investment from China, bucking the trend as Beijing’s influence expanded across the rest of the sprawling archipelago ..read more

Kyrgyzstan appears to have blocked TikTok after the Central Asian country’s security services called to restrict the social media app to “protect children”. When AFP journalists in the country tried to access TikTok on Thursday, a message read: “Unable to load, please try again.” Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South. China, Africa and the Global South... find ..read more

The U.S. ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, rallied to the defense of Aussie mining companies who she said were “under assault” from Chinese rivals that exploit labor and the environment. Kennedy made the remarks during a keynote address at the Paydirt Battery Minerals Conference in Perth on Wednesday, where she framed the competition with China for strategic resources in existential terms: Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed th ..read more

Ever since the war in Gaza began soon after Hamas’ terrorist assault in southern Israel on October 7th, Israeli stakeholders have expressed varying degrees of frustration with the Chinese response — or, more accurately, the lack of a balanced Chinese reaction. Even though Chinese officials often state they are neutral in the various Mideast conflicts, their rhetoric and actions have been decidedly partisan against Israel and, by extension, the U.S. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key tren ..read more

China’s top diplomat met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his successor, Prabowo Subianto, on Thursday as Beijing seeks to boost its regional influence. The meetings come after Prabowo visited Beijing this month where Chinese President Xi Jinping praised relations with Jakarta, laying out a vision for regional peace as tensions rise between Beijing and other Southeast Asian neighbors — including the Philippines over the disputed South China Sea. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa ..read more

A leading contender to become the Solomon Islands’ next prime minister has vowed to renounce a security pact with China as the Pacific nation begins counting votes Thursday in a pivotal general election. “If we are in government, we will abolish the security treaty,” Peter Kenilorea told AFP from his village base on the island of Malaita. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the ..read more

The Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday it will participate for the first time in an annual joint military exercise conducted by the Southeast Asian country and the United States. More than 16,700 Filipino and American troops will take part in this year’s drills, which kick off Monday. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South. China, Africa and the Global South ..read more

Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan issued a sober warning in Manila Tuesday about the devastating consequences that a war in the South China Sea between the Philippines and China would have on Southeast Asia and across Asia. “The moment you have an escalation of tension or collisions or military action in the South China Sea, it will immediately impair and impede trade,” Balakrishnan said at a joint press briefing with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive ins ..read more

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation this week that aims to limit China’s purchases of Iranian oil to sanction Tehran for last weekend’s missile attack against Israel. The Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act of 2023 calls for secondary sanctions against Iran to cover all transactions between Chinese financial institutions and sanctioned Iranian banks that participate in oil transactions, according to a summary of the bill. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping Chi ..read more