Where US Foreign Aid Is Being Eliminated

 The New York Times published on 21 February 2025 an article titled "'We Are Seeing Complete Destruction': The Damage Done by U.S.A.I.D. Freeze" by Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International.  

The author comments that the Trump administration appears to be engaged in an effort to "almost entirely eliminate foreign aid programs."  He then summarizes programs around the world that will disappear if this initiative is allowed to go forward by the courts and Congress.  

The Digital Silk Road and Digital Repression in the Indo-Pacific

 Article 19, a UK-based international organization with 9 regional offices devoted to freedom of expression, posted on 18 April 2024 a report titled "The Digital Silk Road: China and the Rise of Digital Repression in the Indo-Pacific."

The report examines China's digital infrastructure and governance influence in Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand.  While the study does not deal with Africa, it offers lessons for China's digital engagement with the continent.

The report argues that assessing China's partnerships and what they mean for rising repression is vital to understanding China's ambitions to rewire the world and rewrite the rules that govern the digital space.  By expanding its authoritarian model, China aims to ultimately supplant the tenets of internet freedom and rights-based principles of global digital governance.  

Is China Looking for a Base in West Africa?

 The Diplomat published on 20 February 2024 a commentary titled "China Continues Its Search for a Maritime Presence in West Africa" by Lea Thome.

The author suggests China is continuing its effort to identify a location in West Africa for a naval facility.  The current focus is on Gabon.   

Where Will China Locate Future Naval Bases?

 AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, published in July 2023 a study titled "Harboring Global Ambitions: China's Ports Footprint and Implications for Future Overseas Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley, Sheng Zhang, Rory Fedorochko, and Sarina Patterson.  

At the moment, China's only naval base outside China is located in Djibouti.  The study provides a shortlist of the most likely basing options in the order in which they might be prioritized by Beijing.  Four of the eight ports on the short list are located in Africa.

The eight prospects in priority order are:

--Hambantota, Sri Lanka

--Bata, Equatorial Guinea

--Gwadar, Pakistan

--Kribi, Cameroon

--Ream, Cambodia

--Luganville, Vanuatu

--Nacala Mozambique

--Nouakchott, Mauritania

Extending China's Military Power into Indian Ocean

 The New York Times published on 7 September 2023 a commentary titled "China's Military Is Going Global" by Craig Singleton, China analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington.

China is establishing "strategic strong points" along its major trade, energy, and resource routes, especially those that run from China through the Malacca Strait and into the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.  

Chinese Port Construction and Overseas Naval Bases

 AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, published on 25 July 2023 a study titled "Harboring Global Ambitions: China's Ports Footprint and Implications for Future Overseas Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley, Sheng Zhang, Rory Fedorochko, and Sarina Patterson.  

The authors suggest a list of port locations--where China has invested significant resources and maintains relationships with local elites--that may be favorable locations for future Chinese naval bases.

Where Is China Looking for Its Next Overseas Naval Base?

Foreign Policy published on 27 July 2023 a commentary titled "Beijing Is Going Places--and Building Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley and Sheng Zhang.

Based on new AidData information, the authors offer the following short list for likely future PLA Navy bases outside China: Hambantota, Sri Lanka; Bata, Equatorial Guinea; Gwadar, Pakistan; Kribi, Cameroon; Ream, Cambodia; Luganville, Vanuatu; Nacala, Mozambique; and Nouakchott, Mauritania.  

China's Concerns Over Indian Ocean Choke Points

 The Georgetown Journal of International Affairs published on 22 March 2023 an analysis titled "China's Economic Security Challenge: Difficulties Overcoming the Malacca Dilemma" by Lucas Myers, Wilson Center's Asia Program.

Ninety percent of China's trade and 80 percent of its oil travels by sea.  During time of war, China fears a possible blockade of the sea lines of communication (SLOCs) through the Indian Ocean choke points of the Suez Canal/Red Sea and Strait of Malacca.  Mitigating this dilemma is an increasingly important element of China's naval strategy.  

China, Tanzania, and the Digital Silk Road

 The South African Institute of International Affairs published in November 2021 a policy brief titled "China-powered ICT Infrastructure: Lessons from Tanzania and Cambodia" by Motolani Agbebi, Gong Xue, and Zheng Yu.  

The study looked at the socioeconomic and governance impacts of large Chinese ICT projects in Tanzania and Cambodia.  Compared to other infrastructure developments, these projects had relatively limited socioeconomic and governance outcomes.  

Assessing Chinese Hydropower Projects in Ghana and Cambodia

 The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 7 December 2021 a policy brief titled "China-driven Hydropower: Lessons from Ghana and Cambodia" by Bradley Murg, Cobus van Staden, and Wang Duanyong.  

This paper compares Chinese hydropower dams in Ghana and Cambodia.  While they provided significant non-polluting energy, there were also massive environmental and socioeconomic impacts.

Debt Diplomacy Is the Wrong Term for China's Loans

The Diplomat posted on 12 March 2019 a commentary titled "China's 'Debt Diplomacy' Is a Misnomer. Call It 'Crony Diplomacy'." by Mark Akpaninyie, Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The author says there is little evidence that Beijing coordinates a unified strategy to lure the developing world into unsustainable debt. Instead of a state-led strategy, Chinese firms have exploited poor nations, which are dependent on cheap, and sometimes bad, loans.

Africans Moving from China to Vietnam?

VN Express International published on 8 May 2018 an article titled "Rising Costs in China Make African Entrepreneurs Look To Vietnam" by Mi Na.

The number of Africans living in Guangzhou, China, has been dropping due to the rising cost of living and visa issues. Some are looking to move to markets in Vietnam, India, and Cambodia.

Chinese Port Activity in the Indo-Pacific Region

Washington-based C4ADS, a non-profit organization dedicated to data-driven analysis, recently published a study titled "Harbored Ambitions: How China's Port Investments Are strategically Reshaping the Indo-Pacific" by Devin Thorne and Ben Spevack.

The report evaluates China's maritime infrastructure investment goals in the Indo-Pacific within the context of both policy from official documents and analyses from state- and Communist Party-affiliated publications. The authors found that Chinese analysts unofficially discussing port investments routinely prioritize China's national security interests over the objective of mutually beneficial economic development, contradicting the position of official policy documents.