The China in Africa Podcast 2025 China-Africa Year in Review
Dec 25, 2025
The hosts reflect on a monumental year, discussing the launch of the Simandou mine and its impact on iron ore geopolitics. They delve into environmental and social challenges, highlighting the Kafue River spill's narrative battle. China's strategic shift towards South American soybeans raises eyebrows in US–China trade relations. Tensions within the G20 regarding South Africa signal shifting global dynamics. As they look ahead, the spotlight is on Southeast Asia's rising significance and Zimbabwe's efforts in lithium production.
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Simandou Redraws Iron Ore Map
- Simandou's opening shifts iron ore geopolitics by providing China access to huge, high-purity reserves.
- The project ties Chinese state firms, Australian capital, and Guinea's junta into a strategic supply alternative to Australia.
Kafue Spill Became A Narrative Battleground
- The Kafue River toxic spill became a geopolitical messaging battle rather than a clear accountability process.
- Its contested narratives amplified US-China rivalry and will shape perceptions of Chinese mining for years.
China Keeps Low-End Manufacturing
- China's 14th Five-Year Plan explicitly prioritises retaining low-end manufacturing and acknowledges overcapacity.
- That policy sustains huge export pressure into developing countries, undercutting local industrialization efforts.