Infrastructure and energy are two important areas for African countries to achieve sustainable development, as well as are among the priorities in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the continent’s ambitious development blueprint. In February, Lerato Mataboge was elected as the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy. She is a global policy and trade and investment facilitation expert and was the deputy director general in the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition when she was elected.  Before she…

In February 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted then Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, an appointment between the two old friends. Back in early 2020, Hun Sen visited Beijing as China was battling the COVID-19 epidemic. He visited to show Cambodia’s staunch support for the Chinese people at a critical moment. Three years later, Hun Sen visited China again as promised. At their 2023 meeting, Xi recalled the prime minister’s…

Over three decades ago, when Xi Jinping, then the top official of China’s southeastern city of Fuzhou, visited Malaysia on an investment promotion trip, he found himself deeply impressed by two symbolic sites. One is the Poh San Teng Temple, a long-standing homage to renowned Chinese navigator Zheng He (1371-1433) of the Ming Dynasty. The other is the city of Sibu, which became known as “New Fuzhou” after Wong Nai Siong, a Fuzhou native, migrated to Malaysia with over 1,000…

The 2025 edition of the Hong Ting Forum took place on Wednesday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, bringing together senior government officials, diplomats, scholars, industry executives and media practitioners to explore ways to advance China-Africa cooperation on modernization. Hosted by Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau, the forum was held under the theme “China-Africa Dialogue on the Path to Modernization.” Korir Sing’Oei, principal secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said the forum reaffirmed the importance of fostering…

Home to over 30 percent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, Africa contributes just about 4 percent of global carbon emissions, and yet the region bears the brunt of the impacts of climate change due to its high exposure, underdevelopment, weak economy, and limited financial resources for adaptation.  In 2023 alone, at least 15,700 people lost their lives to disasters caused by extreme weather, while another 34 million were affected by the climate crisis in various ways. As Africa’s vast…

At the bustling Port of Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire, cargo ships glide in and out as towering cranes hum with ceaseless activity. Once a bottleneck for trade, the port now stands as a symbol of transformation thanks to its recent expansion fueled by Chinese investment. This gateway to West Africa highlights Beijing’s deepening economic engagement with the continent, a dynamic partnership that is reshaping Africa’s trade and logistics landscape. Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Africa’s infrastructure has taken…

With its extraordinary music performance and thrilling competition, the Singer 2024 TV programme won the hearts of audiences in Ghana, shortly after the nine-episode singing competition on Hunan Satellite TV gained widespread attention in China.  Besides Singer 2024, audiences in Ghana now have access to a variety of high-quality Chinese programmes on satellite TV offered by the Golden Mango TV (GMTV) channel.  GMTV was jointly established by Hunan TV International Channel and Ghana’s CGTV. Satellite broadcasting officially started on 10 August 2023, covering…

The 16th sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 14 December 2024. Centred around the theme Our Land Our Future, the conference adopted 39 resolutions addressing drought response, scientific innovation, dust storms, and future budgeting after 13 days of deliberations. These efforts have set a new blueprint for combating desertification and land degradation worldwide, opening a fresh chapter in global cooperation.  Notably, the conference…

Gertrude Nyathi walks calmly into Zimbabwe’s Mahusekwa Hospital for antenatal care in Mashonaland, where she is expected to give birth in the next five months.  In a country where medical facilities are obsolete, patients flock to seek medical care at the Chinese-aided hospital, seen by many as a game changer in Marondera district.   “Before this hospital was built, pregnant women had to travel long distances to go to Harare for antenatal services and some even gave birth on the way.…

Humming factories, bustling ports, and shuttling merchants highlight the vibrancy of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Over the years, this partnership has grown significantly, optimising trade structures and fostering mutual development. This deepening collaboration is evident in China’s role as Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner for 15 consecutive years.  During the first seven months of 2024, trade between China and African countries reached $167 billion, reflecting a 5.5-percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. According to the International…