The China-Global South Podcast

India and China are cautiously rebuilding ties after years of confrontation, but normalization remains fragile. Recent high-level meetings have restored diplomatic momentum, yet unresolved territorial claims, persistent military deployments and deep strategic mistrust continue to constrain progress. Beyond the border, the two Asian powers face competing regional ambitions, an increasingly complex relationship with Washington and a deeply imbalanced trade relationship. India's dependence on Chinese industrial components complicates efforts to reduce economic vulnerabilities, while China's close partnership with Pakistan and India's expanding security ties across Southeast Asia reinforce their strategic rivalry. Ananth Krishnan, China Correspondent at The Hindu, joins Eric to examine the trajectory of India-China relations, including border negotiations, the impact of U.S. policy under Donald Trump, and the challenges of balancing economic interdependence with strategic competition. Show Notes: Substack: The India China Newsletter by Ananth Krishnan Ananth Krishnan's Book - India's China Challenge: A Journey through China's Rise The Hindu: Ananth Krishnan's Reporting for the Hindu 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode India-China Border Talks and Normalization Trump's Impact on India-China Relations China-Pakistan Ties and Regional Security Competition India-China Trade Imbalances and Supply Chain Dependence Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @ananthkrishnan Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

U.S. public attitudes toward China are becoming less hawkish, widening the gap between Washington's national security establishment and a public increasingly favoring cooperation. A Chicago Council survey found 57% of Americans support engagement with China, compared with 85% of surveyed national security professionals favoring competition and containment. The shift is being driven partly by generational change, growing admiration for Chinese technology and infrastructure, and frustration with domestic dysfunction in the United States. But the underlying rivalry remains intact, with trade, technology, geopolitical alignments, and structural economic tensions continuing to constrain the fragile détente. Kaiser Kuo, host of the Sinica podcast, joins Eric to examine changing perceptions of China, including generational attitudes, performance legitimacy, and whether the current U.S.-China détente can endure. Show Notes Foreign Affairs: How China Is Winning Friends and Influencing People by Eric Olander and Lizzi Lee Sinica: Sinica Podcast Substack by Kaiser Kuo Sinica: The Fever Has Broken — For Now by Kaiser Kuo 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Shifting American Attitudes Toward China and Cooperation Chinamaxxing and the Rise of China's Appeal Generational Divides in U.S.-China Relations Today The Fragile Détente Between Washington and Beijing China's Performance Legitimacy and American Dysfunction Why Greater China Literacy Matters for Policymakers Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @KaiserKuo Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

China's relationship with Venezuela has shifted from a cornerstone of its South American strategy to a visibly diminished partnership. After more than two decades of oil-backed lending, infrastructure investment, and strategic cooperation, Beijing has responded cautiously as U.S. control over Venezuelan oil assets displaces Chinese interests. The relationship now appears to occupy a gray zone: neither a full continuation of the pre-2026 partnership nor a formal rupture. China's limited response reflects the declining importance of Venezuela relative to Brazil, Peru, and Chile, while its remaining assets and longstanding interests give Beijing reasons to preserve a smaller presence. Andrea Freites, China researcher at the Millennium Nucleus on the Impacts of China in Latin America and the Caribbean, joins Eric to talk about the future of China-Venezuela relations, including Beijing's response to the political transition, the fate of Chinese oil interests, and the prospects for a smaller but enduring Chinese presence. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode China's changing role in Venezuela The fate of Chinese oil interests Beijing's response to Maduro's removal The future of China-Venezuela relations Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @afreitesh Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

Southeast Asia is seeking a greater role in shaping global cooperation, as countries across the region push for institutions that deliver tangible results while preserving ASEAN's centrality and strategic autonomy. A new report, Voices From the Region: Reimagining Global Cooperation From Southeast Asia, published by Verve Research, is the focus of this episode, which is divided into two parts. Part 1 features Verve Research's Founder and Executive Director Natalie Sambhi and Deputy Director Blake Berger, who join Eric to talk about the report's findings on global governance, ASEAN, and great-power competition. Part 2 features Thammasat University's Prapimphan Chiengkul and Carnegie's Elina Noor, who contributed chapters on the environmental and social costs of critical-mineral mining and digital infrastructure. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Southeast Asia's Role in Global Cooperation Reforming ASEAN and International Institutions Navigating U.S.-China Great-Power Competition Critical Minerals and Environmental Costs AI Infrastructure and Local Communities Rethinking Security Through Human Needs Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @verve_research Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

China is using a renewed diplomatic push to expand its room for maneuver as global power shifts. Xi Jinping's visits to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Central Asia, and Egypt reflect an effort to strengthen alternative governance forums while working within institutions China has benefited from. For much of the Global South, however, the choice is not between Washington and Beijing but maintaining relationships with both. That same "both-and" approach is emerging in technology. Chinese open-source AI models could gain traction across the Global South through lower costs, greater technological sovereignty, and established Chinese hardware and distribution networks. The result could be a more fragmented AI ecosystem in which Chinese technology becomes deeply embedded in local businesses and products. Andrew Polk, Co-Founder of Trivium China, joins Eric to examine China's evolving global strategy, including Xi's diplomacy, the India-China thaw and BRICS, and the growing competition between Chinese and U.S. AI in the Global South. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Xi Jinping's renewed diplomatic push and China's vision of a multipolar world Why the Global South is hedging between China and the United States BRICS, the SCO, and China's emerging alternative governance architecture The India-China thaw and growing competition across the Indian Ocean How Chinese AI could gain ground across Global South markets China's evolving role in global trade, technology, and the international order 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

For generations of Chinese readers, Taiwanese writer Sanmao offered a rare window into Africa through her bestselling stories of life in the Western Sahara. But her accounts also carried colonial-era stereotypes, romanticized her role in the region, and included stories that historical evidence suggests were embellished or never happened. Sanmao's legacy reveals a more complicated history of how Africa has been imagined in Chinese popular culture. From her 1970s writing to films such as Wolf Warrior 2, Chinese depictions have sometimes reproduced a familiar colonial framework in which Africans become backdrops, objects of fascination, or people in need of saving. Jacob Kushner, an international journalist and author, joins Eric to examine Sanmao's enduring influence, the myths and colonial perspectives embedded in her writing, and what her legacy reveals about China's evolving views of Africa. Show Notes Now Voyager Magazine: Storyteller of the Sahara by Jacob Kushner 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode: 🇹🇼 Sanmao's enduring influence on Chinese views of Africa 🏜️ How she portrayed life in the Western Sahara 📖 The myths and embellishments in her stories 🇪🇸 Colonialism and the Spanish Sahara 🌍 Chinese literature and colonial stereotypes about Africa 🎬 From Sanmao to Wolf Warrior 2: Changing images of Africa 🔎 The challenges of fact-checking stories from distant places 📰 The case for deeper, long-form international journalism Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @JacobKushner 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

China's growing commercial footprint across the Global South is creating new opportunities, but major knowledge gaps remain over how Chinese businesses build trust, negotiate, and form partnerships. Guanxi, institutional norms, and long-term relationships can matter as much as contracts and competitive pricing. At the same time, Chinese companies are still adapting unevenly to local cultures. Firms operating in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East increasingly recognize the value of local relationships and cultural knowledge, but many continue to prioritize speed and product specifications over local expectations. Sun Muyang, author of How Chinese Business Actually Works: 15 Themes on the Institutional, Historical, and Human Logic Beneath the Surface, joins Eric to discuss the logic of Chinese business, including guanxi and trust-building, competitive pricing, and Chinese companies' adaptation to Global South markets. Show Notes How Chinese Business Actually Works: 15 Themes on the Institutional, Historical, and Human Logic Beneath the Surface (English Edition) by Muyang SUN and Joyce XIE 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Guanxi and Trust in Chinese Business The Hidden Logic Behind Chinese Business Practices Reading Chinese Business Signals Understanding Chinese Pricing and Competitiveness Chinese Companies Adapting to Global South Markets Practical Advice for Doing Business With China 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

Latin America is facing intensifying pressure from Washington to distance itself from China even as Beijing remains the region's leading trading partner. Governments are increasingly caught between U.S. strategic demands and the economic opportunities offered by China, making geopolitical balancing more difficult. The shift from a rules-based order toward one defined by power is reinforcing the case for "active non-alignment," allowing countries to work with both powers according to their interests. At the same time, Latin America faces a deeper economic challenge: moving beyond exports of raw materials such as copper and lithium toward greater value addition and industrial development. Ambassador Jorge Heine, honorary professor at the University of Chile's Institute of International Studies and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, joins Eric to examine Latin America's balancing act, including U.S. pressure on China ties, active non-alignment, and opportunities for deeper China-Latin America economic integration. Show Notes ECLAC - Ruptures and opportunities: proposals for Latin America and the Caribbean to thrive in the new geopolitical era 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode How U.S. pressure is reshaping China-Latin America relations The rise of active non-alignment as a strategy between Washington and Beijing Why China's role as Latin America's leading trading partner limits U.S. influence The challenge of moving beyond raw-material exports toward greater value-added production How China and Latin America could cooperate on copper, lithium, EVs, and green technology Why stronger China literacy is becoming essential for Latin American policymakers Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @jorgeheine 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

China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. These "below-the-line" strategies give Chinese narratives a pathway into African newsrooms that extends well beyond the reach of traditional state outlets such as CGTN and Xinhua. But the push for greater Chinese influence raises a deeper question about decolonization. While Beijing presents its media engagement as an alternative to Western dominance, African journalists can be exposed to models of reporting that do not necessarily fit local political and social realities. At the same time, the shift toward social media makes the actual impact of these efforts increasingly difficult to measure. Emeka Umejei, a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, joins Eric and Cobus to discuss the arguments from his book China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization, content-sharing agreements, journalist training, and the future of African media independence. Show Notes China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization by Emeka Umejei 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode China's evolving media influence across Africa The rise of content-sharing agreements with African news outlets Journalist training, media exchanges, and the spread of Chinese reporting models The tension between China's "decolonization" narrative and African media independence How Chinese economic engagement strengthens its media influence The shift toward social media and the uncertain impact of foreign media campaigns on African audiences Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @stadenesque I @emekaumejei 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

China's influence in Latin America is increasingly being built through smaller, less visible deals rather than the headline-grabbing infrastructure projects that defined its engagement in the 2010s. Surveillance technology, electric buses, power networks, critical minerals and subnational partnerships are creating a decentralized web of economic and political ties that can be harder to scrutinize or unwind. For Washington, the challenge is that pressure on governments to reduce Chinese ties often comes without credible alternatives. Latin American countries, meanwhile, are balancing U.S. security pressure against China's economic complementarity, while seeking to preserve strategic autonomy. Natalia Cote-Muñoz, the Managing Partner and CEO of Vantage Point Strategies, joins Eric to discuss China's evolving influence in Latin America, the risks of technological dependence, and how the U.S. and regional governments can respond. Show Notes Foreign Affairs - China's Quiet Quest to Dominate Latin America: Small Projects, Big Influence by Natalia Cote-Muñoz 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode China's shift from mega-projects to smaller, less visible investments in Latin America How subnational partnerships are becoming a key tool of Chinese influence The growing risks of technological and infrastructure dependence on China Why U.S. efforts to push back against China are often falling short Latin American countries' balancing act between China and the United States What China, the U.S., and Latin American governments should do differently to manage long-term geopolitical risks Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @CNASdc I @ncotemunoz 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

China's growing appeal in the Global South is increasingly being shaped by everyday commercial experiences, not just diplomacy or cultural exports. Chinese phones, EVs, apps, infrastructure, entertainment, and consumer brands are becoming part of daily life, creating a form of familiarity that may prove more durable than social-media-driven fascination with China. But this commercial reach carries a major contradiction: the same low-cost Chinese products that benefit consumers can intensify pressure on local manufacturers. Across Southeast Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, governments are responding with tariffs and anti-dumping measures as Chinese firms challenge domestic industries and potentially constrain industrial upgrading. Lizzi C. Lee, fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, and Zhuoning Li, a research intern at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, join Eric and Cobus to examine China's expanding commercial soft power, including the China-maxing trend, the role of diaspora communities, and the tension between consumer benefits and local industrial competition. Show Notes South China Morning Post: China's brands must outgrow diaspora bubble to hit soft power potential by Lizzi C. Lee and Zhuoning Li Foreign Affairs: How China Is Winning Friends and Influencing People by Eric Olander and Lizzi Lee 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Why China is becoming more popular with young people The rise of the "China-maxing" trend How Chinese brands are building soft power Why Chinese products resonate across the Global South The role of Chinese diaspora networks How affordability is changing consumer markets Why Chinese brands can benefit consumers while hurting local industries Can China's commercial influence outlast the current trend? Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @stadenesque I @wstv_lizzi I @AsiaPolicy 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

Public 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 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: Pew Research Center: Views of China and Xi Are Improving Globally by Laura Silver, Jonathan Schulman, Laura Clancy and William Miner Afrobarometer: African insights 2026: Beyond borders: Citizen perspectives on a shifting global order Foreign Affairs: How China Is Winning Friends and Influencing People by Eric Olander and Lizzi Lee Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @pewresearch I @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

After 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 Financial Times: China pours funding into green energy deals as Iran war hits oil demand by Edward White Semafor: Chinese investments in Africa soar to $34 billion so far this year by Yinka Adegoke 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

The war in Iran is reshaping the strategic landscape of the Persian Gulf, putting new pressure on China's relations with Iran and the Gulf Arab states. Beijing's response is exposing the tension between its deep economic interests in the region and its reluctance to assume a larger role in regional security. Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer at the University of Exeter, and Aaron Glasserman, a distinguished fellow at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University, join Eric to discuss their latest article in Foreign Affairs on why China will remain an influential economic actor in the region with only marginal geopolitical influence. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode ⚔️ How the Iran War Is Reshaping the Persian Gulf 🇨🇳 China's Strategic Interests in Iran and the Gulf 🛡️ Why Beijing Is Reluctant to Take on a Larger Security Role 🇮🇷 The Limits of China's Influence Over Tehran 🌍 How Gulf States Are Reassessing Their Relationship With China ⚖️ The Gap Between China's Economic Power and Security Responsibilities Show Notes: Foreign Affairs: The Gulf's China Problem by Mohammed Alsudairi, Andrea Ghiselli, and Aaron Glasserman Reuters: Can China restrain Iran? Gulf states test Beijing's influence by Samia Nakhoul and Timour Azhari The Diplomat: The Iran-US War a Win for China? Not So Fast. by Wang Jin 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

China is expanding its space partnerships across the Middle East through satellites, navigation systems, technology transfer, and other forms of cooperation. Beijing tailors these partnerships to individual countries, while governments such as Egypt, Iran, and the UAE use Chinese cooperation to pursue their own technological and strategic interests. A new report in the Texas National Security Review, Choosing Orbits: China's Space Diplomacy in the Middle East, explores how regional agency, technological competition, and the broader U.S.-China rivalry are increasingly intersecting in space. Two of the article's authors, Lawrence Rubin, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Lincoln Hines, an associate professor at Georgia Tech, join Eric to discuss how space is the new frontier in China's soft power diplomacy. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode 🛰️ China's expanding space partnerships across the Middle East 🌍 Space diplomacy as a tool of Chinese influence 🇪🇬 Egypt's growing space and technology cooperation with China 🇦🇪 How the UAE balances China and the United States ⚔️ Dual-use satellites and the security implications of space technology 🇺🇸🇨🇳 U.S.-China competition over the future of space Show Notes: Texas National Security Review: Choosing Orbits: China's Space Diplomacy in the Middle East by Lawrence Rubin, Lincoln Hines & Dayana Alagirova South China Morning Post: For China and the Middle East, a Space Silk Road is written in the stars by Yang Xiaotong The Washington Institute for Near East Policy: China's Push for Satellite Cooperation in the Middle East by Henry Tugendhat 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Forty years ago, Shenzhen was a small southern Chinese fishing village, just across the border from Hong Kong. Today, it's one of the world's most advanced megacities, with a population of nearly 20 million people and home to many of the tech industry's largest companies, including Huawei, Tencent, DJI, and Transsion, among countless others. That remarkable transformation within a single lifetime offers important lessons for Kenya, Vietnam, and other developing countries seeking to build their own technology hubs. Grace Yuehan Wang, a visiting scholar at the London School of Economics and a research fellow at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, joins Eric to discuss her new book, which explores how Shenzhen was able to develop so quickly and what lessons its remarkable rise offers countries across the Global South seeking to build their own technology hubs. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode 🏙️ Shenzhen's rise as a global tech hub 🇨🇳 Why Shenzhen isn't China's Silicon Valley 🏛️ The role of local government 💡 Grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship 🌍 Lessons for the Global South 🚀 Can the Shenzhen model be replicated? Show Notes: Amazon: Dragon Innovation: Shenzhen: Lessons for the West and global south countries from China's leading innovation cluster by Grace Yuehan Wang ThinkChina: Shenzhen: The city that built China's tech empire by Chen Xiangming and Taylor Lynch Ogan Financial Times: China's Xi pursues AI diplomacy to woo the Global South by Joe Leahy and Eleanor Olcott 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

China 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: South China Morning Post: India and China revive Himalayan trade at high-altitude pass by Junaid Kathju The Diplomat: Why India Does Not Interest China by Akhilesh Pillalamarri East Asia Forum: China–India rapprochement is tactical, not strategic by Chietigj Bajpaee 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

As competition between the United States and China intensifies, Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the world's most important geopolitical battlegrounds. But despite growing tensions in the South China Sea and mounting pressure from Washington and Beijing, public opinion across much of the region remains more favorable toward China than many policymakers assume. A new report from the Asia Society Policy Institute reveals how economic ties, consumer brands, and everyday interactions are reshaping perceptions of China in Southeast Asia. Kevin Zhongzhe Li, one of the report's lead authors, joins Eric from Jakarta to explain why this trend is particularly important in the region's "swing" states. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Why China is gaining an edge over the U.S. in Southeast Asia How public opinion toward China has shifted over the past two decades The role of Chinese investment, EVs, and consumer brands in shaping perceptions Why South China Sea disputes affect countries differently The gap between elite and public views of China across the region Common U.S. and Chinese misconceptions about Southeast Asia Show Notes: Asia Society Policy Institute: Global Public Opinion on China: China's Standing in Southeast Asia's Swing States by Kevin Zhongshe Li South China Morning Post: 'Practical' young Africans leaning towards China over US and away from ideology by Jevans Nyabiage Pew Research Center: Views of China and Xi Are Improving Globally by Laura Silver, Jonathan Schulman, Laura Clancy and William Miner 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

There's growing optimism across Africa, Latin America, and Asia that abundant reserves of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel can fuel a new era of economic development. Determined to avoid the "resource curse" that enriched foreign companies while leaving local populations behind, governments are increasingly moving to ban exports of raw ores and instead promote domestic processing and refining. It's an appealing strategy, but far more difficult to implement than many realize. Wei Shen and Anabel Marín, senior research fellows at the Institute of Development Studies in London, argue that processing alone won't transform resource-rich economies. In a new paper, they explain why lasting prosperity depends on building the knowledge, institutions, and technological capabilities needed to move up the value chain. They join Eric to discuss what it will really take for developing countries to turn critical mineral wealth into sustainable development. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Why critical minerals alone won't create prosperity Can resource nationalism break the resource curse? Why processing isn't enough to move up the value chain The role of knowledge and state capacity in development What China got right in building its mineral industry How developing countries can capture more value from critical minerals Show Notes: WATCH: Critical minerals and development: Breaking the structural impasse with Wei Shen and Anabel Marín Institute of Development Studies: China's role in critical mineral mining and its impacts by Wei Shen Institute of Development Studies: Living in a material world: What critical minerals mean for development by Wei Shen and Anabel Marín Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

There'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. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Is China really benefiting from the Iran war? Why Beijing won't replace the U.S. in the Gulf The limits of China's geopolitical influence China's commercial strategy in the Middle East Gulf views on balancing China and America What comes next for China-Gulf relations Show Notes: Sign up to The China-MENA Substack Newsletter: https://chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/ The Diplomat: After the Iran War, China's Middle East Strategy Will Prioritize the Gulf by Chenjie Song The Guardian: China is a clear winner from Trump's war in Middle East, report concludes by Amy Hawkins Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

Two weeks ago, a PLA Navy submarine in the South China Sea test-fired a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that flew 7,300 kilometers before splashing down in the South Pacific. The launch drew sharp criticism from several Pacific Island countries, whose leaders argued that it violated the region's longstanding identity as a nuclear-free zone. To be clear, the test did not violate international law or established norms. The United States, France, and other nuclear powers have conducted similar missile tests in the Pacific for decades. Even so, Zhang Denghua, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University's Department of Pacific Affairs and CGSP's non-resident fellow for the Pacific, argues that the launch could erode Beijing's hard-earned influence in the region. He joins Eric to discuss the strategic implications of the test, China's intensifying competition with traditional powers in the Pacific, and why Taiwan remains such a potent issue for Beijing in this part of the world. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode China's unprecedented Pacific missile test Why Pacific leaders condemned the launch Australia's new Pacific security partnerships China's growing rivalry with regional powers Papua New Guinea closes Taiwan office What's next at the Pacific Islands Forum Show Notes: The China-Global South Project: What To Know About China's Recent Missile Test in the South Pacific by Zhang Denghua The China-Global South Project: How Pacific Island Nations Are Capitalizing on Major Power Rivalry by Zhang Denghua The China-Global South Project: Japan is Eyeing China's Moves in the Pacific by Zhang Denghua Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

China's suspension of rare earth exports to Japan has now entered its seventh month, with shipments in June again falling to a fraction of their level a year earlier. The restrictions are one sign of a broader collapse in relations between the two countries since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office last fall. The relationship, long marked by tension, deteriorated sharply after Takaichi said that Chinese military action against Taiwan would "threaten Japan's survival." Since then, ties have continued to worsen. William Yang, senior Northeast Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group, joins Eric to explain the politics driving this increasingly dangerous confrontation and why its consequences will be felt across Asia. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Why China-Japan relations are unraveling China's rare earth pressure on Japan Taiwan's role in the growing dispute Japan's expanding regional security strategy The future of the U.S.-Japan alliance What's next for Northeast Asia? Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

The U.S. and China clashed at the United Nations this 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 Arab Gulf States Institute: China's Mediation Ceiling in the Iran War by Jesse Marks Gulf International Forum: Parallel, Not Replacement: Why China Can't Supplant U.S. Security in the Gulf by Jesse Marks & Chenjie Song 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode China and the U.S. clash at the UN Does Beijing have leverage over Iran? Why China's diplomacy has limits Pakistan's role in Iran mediation The future Gulf security order What China wants after the war 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

The U.S. war against Iran is having a profound impact far away from the battlefield, all the way on the other side of Asia in the Western Pacific. There's an emerging consensus among Washington's allies and foes alike that the U.S. will be incapable, unwilling, or a mix of both to fight a war against China in this part of the world. That's prompting a rapid reevaluation of security postures across the region, a shift on full display over the past week: Australia moving to bolster security ties in the South Pacific and Japan building what many see as a new security architecture for the post-American order. Derek Grossman, CGSP's non-resident fellow for the Asia-Pacific and a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California, joins Eric to discuss the week's key events in the South China Sea, South Pacific, and Japan's latest moves to build a new intelligence agency. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode South China Sea tribunal at 10 China's Pacific missile test Japan's security shift Philippines vs. Vietnam on China U.S. alliances under Trump Asia's changing security landscape Show Notes: The China-Global South Project: Japan Emerges as Asia's New Strategic Anchor by Derek Grossman Nikkei Asia: Vietnam's new balancing act in an unbalanced world by Derek Grossman International Crisis Group: Manila's Push for a New Rulebook in the South China Sea Peters Out by Derek Grossman 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

With 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 China's strategic gains from the Iran war The yuan's expanding international role Why Chinese exports are surging The strain on U.S. military capacity Is the Pentagon's two-war strategy over? How Beijing views the unfolding conflict 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 Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Kenya's landmark debt restructuring deal with China, announced last year, converted $3 billion in outstanding China Exim Bank loans from U.S. dollars to Chinese yuan. The currency switch could save the East African country more than $200 million in debt servicing costs. Not surprisingly, other countries in Asia and Africa are now exploring similar arrangements to reduce their debt burdens. But a new report from the development finance research lab AidData argues that Kenya's savings came mostly from the restructuring terms — not from the yuan conversion itself. AidData's Oshin Pandey and Sailor Miao join Eric and Cobus to explain how the deal worked, why it matters, and why there is more to this arrangement than most headlines suggest. 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode Kenya's landmark China debt deal Debt restructuring vs. yuan conversion Why AidData challenges the narrative Ethiopia's restructuring prospects China's evolving lending strategy The future of sovereign debt relief Show Notes: AidData: Kenya's USD-to-RMB Debt Conversion Was Really a Restructuring by Sailor Miao and Oshin Pandey The China-Global South Project: Kenya's Chinese Debt Swap Comes With a Hidden Currency Risk Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

Two 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 China 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 The New York Times: China's Spending Slowdown Deepens as Households Tighten Their Belts by Keith Bradsher Reuters: G7 Leaders Tackle Reliance on China for Critical Minerals 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 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

Dan Kobayashi spent 16 years working as a U.S. diplomat focused on African issues, both at posts in Lesotho, Zambia, and Malawi, among others, and at the State Department's intelligence bureau in Washington, D.C. He had a close-up view of how U.S.-Africa policy has evolved over the years, particularly as it relates to China's expanding presence on the continent. Today, Dan is out of government and works as a geopolitical risk consultant in Geneva, where he also writes for his new Expatriach Substack. He joins Eric, Cobus, and Géraud to share an insider's perspective on the current state of U.S. policy towards Africa and why the notion that Washington is competing with Beijing for influence in the region is outdated. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Inside Washington's Africa policymaking Trump's changing approach to Africa The China "debt trap" debate U.S.-China competition in Africa Aid cuts, visas, and diplomacy What's next for U.S.-Africa relations? Show Notes: Sign up to The Expatriach Substack Expatriarch: USAID Is Unlikely to Be Replaced With Something Better Any Time Soon, So Stop Pretending by Dan Kobayashi Expatriarch: My Resignation from the State Department by Dan Kobayashi Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

On March 1, one day after the U.S. and Israel launched what would become the ongoing war with Iran, Ren Hanjun, a visiting professor at Peking University, posted a video on WeChat predicting that China would emerge as one of the conflict's biggest beneficiaries. Three months later, that prediction appears increasingly accurate. Demand for Chinese EVs, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies is surging, especially across developing regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa. Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a CGSP non-resident fellow, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss how disruptions to global oil and gas supplies are accelerating the shift toward Chinese renewable energy and mobility solutions. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode China's potential gains from the Iran war Energy insecurity and the global transition shift Rising demand for Chinese EVs and solar tech Southeast Asia and Africa's growing role The geopolitics of clean energy supply chains Is China the biggest winner of the crisis? Show Notes: The China-Global South Project: "Win or Lose, America Loses": Chinese Analyst Says Trump's Iran Gamble Will Hand Beijing a Strategic Victory The China-Global South Project: Why the Global South Will Become New Champions of Climate Action by Li Shuo The China-Global South Project: Leading from the "Global Middle": China's Bid to Host the New Ocean Treaty by Li Shuo 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 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

China is facing serious headwinds across much of Latin America as the United States ramps up pressure to curb Beijing's engagement in the region. The Chinese have encountered major setbacks in Panama, Mexico, Chile, and potentially in Honduras, where the new government is actively considering switching diplomatic ties back to Taiwan. But that is not the case in Brazil. Chinese businesses are investing record amounts in South America's largest economy and buying up more of the country's vast reserves of natural resources, including oil, soybeans, and critical minerals. Tulio Cariello, research and content director at the China-Brazil Business Council, joins Eric from Rio de Janeiro to discuss his latest report on Chinese investment trends in Brazil and explains why the country is now the top destination in the world for Chinese FDI. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Why Brazil became China's top investment destination BYD, EVs, and China's growing auto dominance Chinese investments in Brazil's energy and mining sectors How U.S.-China tensions are reshaping Latin America Brazil's role in China's Global South strategy The future of China-Brazil trade and industrial ties 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 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

One of the most common talking points among policymakers and analysts in Washington is the belief that China aims to replace the United States as the world's dominant power. Variations of that narrative are also widely shared in many European capitals. There is little doubt that China is asserting itself more forcefully in global affairs, especially amid a new era of Great Power competition. But senior officials in Beijing have also made clear that they have little interest in taking on the full responsibilities and obligations that come with traditional global leadership. In a recent Foreign Policy article, Jeremy Friedman, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, explored the limits and ambitions of China's expanding international power. He joins Eric to discuss what China wants… and what it does not want from a changing global order. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode China's global ambitions The future of U.S. power Why Beijing rejects hegemony Taiwan and regional security Trade, tech, and critical minerals The emerging world order Show Notes: Foreign Policy: How Far Do China's Ambitions Reach? by Jeremy Friedman East Asia Forum: China's ambitions are narrower than Washington thinks by David Kang, Jackie Wong & Zenobia Chan 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 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

President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing this week hoping China could help contain the escalating U.S.-Iran crisis, but the summit underscored how limited Beijing's influence over Tehran actually is. In Washington, many policymakers assume China can pressure Iran because it buys the vast majority of Iranian oil. But the reality is far more complicated, and there is little evidence the Iranian leadership would make major national security concessions at Beijing's request. William Figueroa, a leading Iran-China scholar at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, joins Eric to unpack what U.S. officials misunderstand about China's relationship with Iran, why Beijing is reluctant to use its economic leverage aggressively, and how China itself is vulnerable to the broader economic fallout from the war. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Why Trump wanted China's help on Iran The limits of China's leverage over Tehran How Iran views Beijing and Washington differently Why oil is only part of China's concern The economic risks of a prolonged war What the Trump-Xi summit revealed about global power dynamics Show Notes: The China-Global South Project: China and the Iran War: The Logic and Limitations of China's Middle East Diplomacy by William Figuerora The China-Global South Project: Through Allegory, China Uses AI to Shape Its Narrative of the Iran Conflict by William Figuerora The China-Global South Project: Social Media Commentators Are Misreading the China Angle in the U.S.–Israeli War With Iran by William Figuerora 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 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

China operates the world's largest fleet of deep-sea research vessels, with more than 40 ships officially tasked with civilian scientific missions. But an investigation by CNN and the environmental news outlet Mongabay found that many of these ships appear to operate in ways more in line with intelligence gathering than with purely scientific research. The CNN/Mongabay investigation tracked eight vessels over a five-year period and found that they spent very little time conducting their stated objective to do deep-sea mining research and instead, according to marine trafficking data, logged extensive trips in strategic waterways and sensitive military zones that could prove critical in the event of a future maritime conflict with the United States. Kara Fox, a senior reporter at CNN, and Elizabeth Alberts, a senior staff writer at Mongabay, led the joint investigation and join Eric to discuss what their findings do... and don't reveal about China's fleet of deep-sea research vessels. Show Notes: CNN: China's growing influence in the Pacific is 5,000 meters deep by Kara Fox, Elizabeth Alberts, Lou Robinson and Byron Manley Mongabay: China's deep-sea mining fleet may also track US submarines by Elizabeth Alberts and Kara Fox 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode China's growing fleet of deep-sea research vessels Allegations of dual-use scientific and intelligence activities Deep-sea mining and the race for critical minerals Why India, the U.S., and others are increasingly concerned The strategic importance of undersea mapping and maritime routes Environmental risks linked to deep-sea mining exploration 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 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

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

The U.S. created the post-World War II international order that it no longer wants to lead today. But what replaces it is still unknown. So, in the meantime, small and medium-sized countries, so-called "middle powers," are scrambling to form new partnerships to insulate themselves from the inevitable instability that will arise from this transition. We're seeing this play out daily now as leaders from South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam, Japan, and dozens of other countries crisscross the globe at a frenetic pace to build what many are describing as a new middle-power coalition. But Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, argued in a Foreign Policy column that it's going to be difficult, if not impossible, for a coalition like this to succeed. Sarang joins Eric to explain why divergent north-south interests will be very hard to overcome. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Rapid global realignment among middle powers Declining trust in U.S.-led institutions BRICS and alternative power coalitions China's growing Global South influence Transactional diplomacy and diversification What the next world order may look like Show Notes: Foreign Policy: Can Middle Powers Gel? by Sarang Shidore The New York Times: American Supremacy Is Over, and Something New Is Coming by Sarang Shidore Politico: Trump Is Demolishing the Global Order. Here's What Might Come Next. 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 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

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Asia next week for a highly anticipated summit with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Trump will be returning to a region he's personally transformed through his challenges to the international order, tariffs, and now the Iran war that's hit Asia's energy sector especially hard. The U.S.-led security architecture across the Asia-Pacific is also showing signs of real strain, as alliances fray and the institutions set up to counter China are on the verge of collapse. Derek Grossman, a prominent U.S.-Asia scholar at the University of Southern California and CGSP's non-resident fellow for the Asia-Pacific, argues that the Quad security partnership is now "on the brink of extinction." Derek joins Eric to discuss how 18 months of Trump's foreign policy have reshaped Asia's security landscape. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Trump-Xi summit and the future of U.S.-China relations Taiwan tensions and fears over U.S. security commitments The possible collapse of the Quad alliance strategy How Southeast Asian countries are balancing China and the U.S. China's growing influence in Indonesia, Thailand, and ASEAN Why Asian allies are questioning America's long-term role Show Notes: The China-Global South Project: The Asia-Pacific's New Oil Order by Derek Grossman Foreign Policy: Trump's Southeast Asia Trade Deals Are in Limbo by Derek Grossman Hinrich Foundation: Balancing act or breaking point? Indonesia's trade policy amid US-China rivalry by Derek Grossman 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 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

Ties 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: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China's Direction by Nguyen Khac Giang The Diplomat: The Myth of Vietnam's Tilt Toward China by Khang Vu The Diplomat: Interpreting the Future of Vietnam-China Relations Through the 2026 Joint Statement by Hai Hong Nguyen and Vu Quy Son 📌 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 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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

Sales 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 are moving quickly to insulate themselves from the 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 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: Semafor: China's winning energy strategy by Tim McDonell Semafor: US top fusion CEO says Washington losing race to China by Tim McDonell 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 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

The development finance industry would like us to believe that money for infrastructure, education, and other needs goes to where it's needed most. The reality, though, isn't that simple. Politics, it turns out, plays a much more important role than many would like to admit. Keyi Tang, an assistant professor at ESADE Business School in Spain, studied development finance data on 48 African countries over a 20-year period that revealed that money often flows to those who hold influence rather than to those who need it most. Keyi joins Eric to discuss the findings that she recently published in her new book, "Power Over Progress: How Politics Shape Development Finance in Africa." 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Political forces shaping development finance How China compares to Western lenders Why aid often favors politically strategic regions The role of domestic elections and power dynamics Structural inequalities in the global finance system The rise of borrower coordination efforts Impact of shrinking Western and Chinese funding How civil society can drive accountability Show Notes: Cambridge University Press: Power Over Progress: How Politics Shape Development Finance in Africa by Keyi Tang: https://a.co/d/04Oc87sf 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 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

Long neglected by the United States, Latin America is now on the frontlines of the global contest with China. Washington's new National Security Strategy made it clear that the U.S. must remain the unrivaled hegemonic power in the Western Hemisphere, something it can't do so long as China is the largest trading partner for most Latin American countries. The U.S. is particularly unnerved by the scale of Chinese infrastructure development across the region and the fact that it's becoming a major investor, particularly in larger countries like Brazil. Former Chilean ambassador to China Jorge Heine, now a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, joins Eric to discuss why this competition is accelerating and whether "active non-alignment" remains a viable strategy in this new era of geopolitical competition. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode The intensifying U.S.–China rivalry in Latin America Washington's push to block Chinese infrastructure projects Strategic battlegrounds: ports, telecom cables, and digital connectivity How Latin American countries are balancing competing pressures The concept of "active non-alignment" in today's geopolitical climate Why China remains an indispensable economic partner for the region 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 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

The Cambodian government is leading a massive, unprecedented crackdown on the scamming business that once accounted for an estimated one-third of the country's GDP. For the past six months, heavily armed security forces have raided scam centers across the country and arrested more than 6,000 in the first couple months of the year. The campaign began last fall when the United States issued a criminal indictment against Chen Zhi, a multi-billionaire Chinese national who built a vast empire in Cambodia that included a huge network of scam compounds that generated a staggering $30 million a day. Huang Yan, a Chinese journalist based in Southeast Asia, is among a small group of international journalists covering every detail of the ongoing crackdown against scam centers. Huang joins Eric from Bangkok to discuss why the fall of Chen Zhi was so important and what it reveals about the outsized role that Chinese actors are playing in this saga. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode Cambodia's scam crackdown: reality vs. narrative Chinese kingpins behind the networks Life inside scam compounds The Chen Zhi case and global pressure Why the industry persists Where the scams are moving next Show Notes: Cambodia: Rain and Dust: The Rise and Fall of Chen Zhi by Huang Yan The New York Times: Why Cambodia Handed Over a Man Accused of Stealing Billions in Crypto Scam by Sui-Lee Wee 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 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

U.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: Wired: Chinese EV Batteries Are Eating the World by Zeyi Yang: https://tinyurl.com/595hnzrh 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 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

Conservative 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: Foreign Policy: China Won't Play Security Patron for Iran by Wang Zichen Beyond the Ideological: The Iran Question Is All About China by Zineb Riboua Foundation for Defense of Democracies: Beijing Offers Tehran Lukewarm Rhetorical Support as Iranian Actions Threaten China's Oil, Trade Flows by Jack Burnham and Max Meizlish 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 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

China has launched a series of global governance and trade initiatives over the past decade that have sparked concern in U.S. and European capitals about whether Beijing is seeking to displace the Western-led international order. The so-called "5Gs" include the Global Governance/Security/Development/Civilization/AI Initiatives, along with the BRI, SCO, AIIB, and numerous other Chinese-initiated programs, all of which seem to suggest that China is, in fact, building a parallel international governance architecture to replace the post-WWII institutions. But Joel Ng, senior fellow and head of the Centre for Multilateralism Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, offers a different interpretation. He argues that China's new governance initiatives are not primarily designed to replace the existing international order. Instead, Beijing is using them as instruments to advance its own more narrowly defined strategic interests. Joel joins Eric to discuss the new book he edited, The Dragon's Emerging Order: Sinocentric Multilateralism and Global Responses. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode: What "Sinocentric multilateralism" actually means Whether China is creating parallel institutions to the UN system The role of BRICS and other emerging multilateral platforms Why many Global South countries find China's initiatives attractive How China's global governance ideas differ from U.S. alliance systems What could happen if the United Nations weakens or collapses financially 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 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

The U.S., Japan, and other G7 countries are scrambling to secure critical minerals to end their reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains. Every week, there's news of another mining deal for cobalt, lithium, and other resources essential to powering 21st century technology. But the race to control critical resources may already be over. Decades before countries in the Global West recognized the importance of these minerals and metals, China quietly built out a vast network of mining and refining operations. Nicholas Niarchos, author of the new bestselling book "The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth," joins Eric & Géraud to discuss the history of the battery metal competition and why China's early moves in this space may have given it an insurmountable lead. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode: Why everyone sees the critical minerals supply chain differently and who's missing the full picture The making of "The Elements of Power" — one journalist's journey from Greece to Congo Artisanal mining, child labor, and the political ecosystem keeping it alive How China built its Congo mining empire over 30 years while the West looked away The Sicomines "Deal of the Century" and what it revealed about Chinese strategy Small Chinese traders, violence, and the uneasy coexistence on Congo's mining frontier Indonesia, Western Sahara and the global pattern of extractive exploitation Why the US critical minerals push may already be too little too late Show Notes: Purchase a copy of The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth: https://a.co/d/0g8xV4n8 Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@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