Vol 55 No 10 | CHINAAFRICA Red flag over Africa 16th May 2014 'Unbreakable friendship’ was the slogan for the tour by China’s Premier. ‘Unending salesmanship’ would have served just as well Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s African tour was a week-long, effective sales pitch for Chinese technology and infrastructural expertise. He also announced several major projects. His chosen destinations...
Vol 55 No 4 | ZIMBABWECHINA Wasting assets 10th February 2014 Recent forays in search of investment have failed but there is a lack of urgency in government efforts to revive the economy January has been more depressing than usual for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). President Robert Mugabe had to cut short his annual leave and return from...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | CHINAAFRICA A trillion-dollar promise 29th November 2013 Chinese officials are still bullish about Africa but the IMF worries that the continent’s export growth will weaken as investment in China drops off Despite talk of slower growth and less investment in China over the medium term, Chief Country Risk Analyst at the Export-Import Bank of China Zhao Changhui predicts that...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | CHINAAFRICAFORESTRY Talks on illegal timber 20th November 2013 China, the largest buyer of illegal timber, is working with the European Union and African governments to improve the global forestry trade Governments from three continents have launched an unprecedented cooperative effort against the illegal forestry trade in Africa. Officials from Africa, Asia and Europe discussed ways to crack down...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | NIGERIACHINA Construction boom ahead 30th November 2013 Nigeria's state-backed mortgage provider FMBN is in talks with two Chinese financial institutions about a US$6 bn. loan for new housing With the national population reaching 174 million this year, the the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria estimates the housing deficit at 17 mn. units. However, talks led by...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | CHINAFRANCEAFRICA Africa is our future 30th November 2013 With conflicting strategies pulling France in different directions, two senators map out a plan for cooperation with China in Africa In a policy paper entitled L’Afrique est Notre Avenir (Africa is Our Future), the Senate sought to lay out France’s Africa policy and respond to China’s growing influence...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | CONGO-KINSHASACHINAFOOTBALL Football fever 30th November 2013 Congo-Kinshasa wants to host major football tournaments and China is helping to prepare the country's mostly dilapidated stadiums Congo-Kinshasa is bidding to host the 2019 African Cup of Nations, the continent’s most important football tournament. The Kinshasa government is counting on China’s help to win that...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | CHINA Dai Zhikang 30th November 2013 Chairman, Shanghai Zendai Property, China The Hong Kong-listed property developer announced in November an investment of about US$8 billion to transform the Modderfontein suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, into a metropolis to rival...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPECHINATAIWAN Move closer 30th November 2013 After allowing China to open a trade office in November, São Tomé is fending off claims that it may abandon Taiwan, its diplomatic ally Prime Minister Gabriel Costa is walking a fine line by encouraging investment from both China and Taiwan. Chinese oil companies play a crucial role in oil exploration, but...
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPECHINA Ins and outs of the oil companies 30th November 2013 São Tomé e Príncipe’s Agência Nacional do Petróleo signed a production-sharing contract with the Hong Kong-registered private oil company Sinoangol for Block 2 in its Exclusive Economic Zone...