Tag: Africa

Chinese Navy in Nigeria Amid Base Concerns

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Johannesburg, South Africa —  A rare visit to Nigeria this week by the Chinese navy is once again raising questions about Beijing’s military intentions in the strategically important Gulf of Guinea. Three Chinese warships have been docked in the port of Lagos for five days, with Nigerian and Chinese officials saying the visit is aimed at enhancing maritime security in the region, which is plagued by piracy. China already has a military base in Djibouti on the east coast of the African continent and U.S. officials have long speculated that…

Niger, China Discuss Uranium Mine and Other Deals

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Agadez, Niger —  The West African nation of Niger and China have been discussing deals that include an industrial park, an oil pipeline and a uranium mine. The Chinese ambassador to Niger, Jiang Feng, said China would build an industrial park that would impact industries including agro-food, manufacturing, mining and real estate, according to a tweet from Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum’s official account. It said the deal is a result of a China-Niger Investment Forum held in April. “China does what it says and says what it does,” said Jiang.…

Nigerian Experts Weigh In on Chinese Navy’s Visit to Nigeria

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ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Chinese navy is making a port call in Nigeria this week in a rare visit to West Africa, where Beijing has been seeking to expand its influence. Three warships of China’s People’s Liberation Army fleet arrived at Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos, on Sunday, bringing about 700 sailors. The Nigerian Navy and Chinese Embassy on Monday said the five-day visit signified growing relations between Beijing and Africa, with the goal of tackling maritime security threats and maintaining stability in the Gulf of Guinea. Security analyst Chidi Omeje…

South Africa Looks to China to Shed Light on Power Crisis

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Johannesburg —  South Africa’s worst ever energy crisis has the country reeling amid daily blackouts, but new Minister for Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is hoping China can provide a light in the darkness. Ramokgopa said earlier this month that he’d soon be announcing details of a “major grant” from China of equipment like solar panels and generators, following Beijing’s offer to help South Africa with its energy woes by providing renewable energy equipment and expertise. Following Ramokgopa’s one-week visit to China, details of any concrete deals remain scant, with the minister’s…

What will life after globalisation look like? The Venice Biennale may hold the answer | Lorenzo Marsili

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This year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, titled Laboratory for the Future, was inaugurated on the same day that the leaders of the G7 industrialised nations met in Hiroshima. As different as these events appeared, both signalled the end of globalisation. Both also displayed the promise and perils of a fragmenting world. Of all the arts, architecture is the most globally homogenising. Erecting tropical copycats of Paris and London was a staple of European colonial policy. Today, the same glass-and-steel tower blocks dot interchangeable financial capitals the world over. But the 2023…

South African Police Receive Chinese Training

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johannesburg, south africa —  South Africa’s police minister, Bheki Cele, and a delegation of senior police officials recently returned from a visit to China, where they discussed strengthening law enforcement collaboration. “The ministry is confident that the country’s crime problems can be better dealt with when we also step up smart policing. This is why the country is exploring all avenues in this regard including cooperation with Chinese law enforcement to assist in technological advancement,” police ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba told VOA. According to a police statement, the delegation’s five-day…

South Africa President Briefs Xi on African Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan

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South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has briefed Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the upcoming visit by African leaders to Russia and Ukraine in a bid to end hostilities, the South African presidency said Saturday. Chinese state broadcaster reported that the two leaders had a phone call Friday. In a statement, South Africa’s presidency said Ramaphosa told Xi he noted the peace plan proposed by China and affirmed African leaders’ support for initiatives aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict. “President Xi Jinping commended the initiative by the African continent…

From Peril to Paradise: A South African Pangolin Gets a New Start

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Pangolins – a type of anteater – have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, but the demand for their scales is putting some pangolin species at high risk of extinction. Officials in South Africa are trying to ensure the animal’s survival, cracking down on the illegal trade and rehabilitating rescued animals. Kate Bartlett reports from Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa. Camera and edit: Zaheer Cassim Voice of America

Whether DRC-China Mining Deal Will Be Restructured Remains Uncertain

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Johannesburg —  Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi faces an uphill battle in his promise to overhaul what he says is an unfair minerals-for-infrastructure deal with China before the resource-rich but conflict-plagued country’s December elections, analysts said after the African leader’s visit to Beijing the past week. While Tshisekedi’s spokesman told reporters that negotiations over the restructuring of the deal went “wonderfully” when Tshisekedi met with counterpart Xi Jinping, and a revised agreement should be complete by the end of the year, nothing concrete was actually mentioned in a post-meeting press release.…