Lying in her makeshift hospital bed, Joyce Tembo thanked medical personnel for evacuating her to the designated national cholera treatment centre, 6 km north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka. She was recently diagnosed with diarrhoeal disease.   Tembo, 43, commended the medical staff stationed at the treatment centre for their great service to thousands of patients, especially women and children seeking urgent treatment.  “I am very grateful to the Chinese doctors who attended to me as soon as the ambulance rushed me…

Exports of Chinese satellites, joint construction of space infrastructure, and joint research and development of satellites … The recent years have seen substantial growth in China-Africa cooperation in the space sector, which is bringing tangible benefits to both sides.  Since space utilisation is a highly technology- and capital-intensive industry, partnerships with capable players like China are essential for Africa to develop its space capabilities. Egypt, one of the most active countries in Africa in the sector, stands as a good…

Talking about space and Africa, Zambia stands out because of an incredible story. As early as 1964, a Zambian teacher named Edward Nkoloso famously vowed to help his country to beat America to become the first country to put a man on the moon, and then go to Mars. Despite his passion to launch a rocket that would send 12 astronauts, a space girl and cats to the moon, Nkoloso’s dream never came to fruition. Through his Zambian Space Academy,…

Prosper Oshomame, a 20-year-old Nigerian artist, is closer than ever to fulfilling his childhood dream of exploring space. His painting Shared Aspirations travelled to space with the Shenzhou-16 mission, which ran from May to October 2023.  The artwork from the young Nigerian depicts an astronaut in a circle formed by the Chinese and Nigerian national flags and surrounded by stars, illustrating China-Africa collaboration based on a common goal. His painting, which gives an artistic expression to space exploration, was one of the 10 most…

In the past, outer space was primarily the domain of a few powerful countries and generally considered separate from broader concerns of human security and development. However, in recent times, space technology development has been a dynamic arena in which the majority of the world’s countries, including countries across the continent of Africa, are actively engaged to address their most pressing socio-economic challenges. Since the turn of the millennium, countries across Africa have demonstrated growing interest in developing their space…

People-centred governance philosophy is the key for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to lead the Chinese people to realise its Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, said Qin Xiaoshun, professor at the University of South Africa at the Seminar on Governance: Exchange and Cooperation held in Johannesburg, South Africa on 1 December. Seminar on Governance: Exchange and Cooperation According to him, the CPC put people’s well-being on top of its agenda. So long as people’s interest is concerned, the CPC…

Ten years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled an economic and infrastructure blueprint to promote connectivity and boost trade and development. To date, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has transformed and improved the lives of millions of people across more than 150 participating countries worldwide. On the BRI’s 10th anniversary, it’s perhaps fitting to retrace Xi’s thought process and the steps taken since its launch in 2013.  In the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, the BRI…

In August, the Swahili version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China Volume I was launched in Nairobi, Kenya. This is the first time that the book is published in an African country in the local language. Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is the key for the international community to learn about contemporary China. Undoubtedly, the launch of the Swahili version of the important book will enable more African people to know more about China’s development philosophy.  So far,…