Final preparations are underway for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit, which begins on September 4th in Beijing. This year's event comes at a particularly fraught time amid wars in Europe, the Middle East and the simmering Great Power rivalry between the United States and China. David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the politics that will frame the summit and why a growing number of African leaders increasingly see their interests aligned with China rather than the West. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

In September 2023, just weeks before Hamas' devastating terrorist attack on October 7th, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his foreign policy advisors were preparing for a summit meeting in China with President Xi Jinping. There were even whispers Beijing would help facilitate a rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia much as it did between Riyadh and Tehran. Now, almost a year later, everything has changed. Sino-Israeli political ties have soured as China aligned with the Arab world and the rest of the Global South in opposition to Israel's war on Gaza. However, while China's standing in Israel has fallen since October 7th, it surged across the rest of the Middle East as more countries in the region regard Beijing as an emerging alternative to the United States. Gedaliah Afterman, head of the Asia Policy Program at the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations at Reichman University, and Research Analyst Allie Weinberger tracked China's Mideast power trajectory in a new article published by the Australian Security Policy Institute. Gedaliah and Allie join Eric to discuss what's behind China's growing influence in the Mideast. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @gafterman Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Shuang Liu, a finance director at the World Resource Institute, shares insights on the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit. He discusses the significant focus on energy, particularly renewable solutions, as African leaders prepare to pitch development projects. Key topics include China's role in the green energy market, challenges in advancing energy transitions, and the necessity for ongoing dialogue between African nations and Chinese investors. Liu emphasizes the importance of collaboration to ensure successful investment in cleaner energy alternatives.

African leaders are gearing up for the crucial summit in Beijing, focusing on boosting economies and addressing youth unemployment. The infrastructure and energy needs are highlighted, stressing the importance of strategic planning due to China's slowing economy. The podcast delves into the potential for trade expansion, value addition in industries like mining and agriculture, and enhancing agricultural processing through collaboration with China. Discussions also touch on the geopolitical dynamics affecting China-Africa relations and the importance of accountability in financial commitments.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has long touted the East's rise and the West's decline, the kind of thinking that's triggered his supporters to fantasize about a post-Western geopolitical order. While it's indisputable that U.S. and European countries, which represent the foundational pillars of the Western system, have seen their power diminish in the post-Cold War era, there's little credible evidence of a full-blown collapse of Western influence. Instead, King's College scholar Samir Puri argues in his new book "Westlessness," that the role of the West in the international system is changing and not going away. Samir joins Eric & Cobus from London to discuss the emergence of a new, less Western global order. Show Notes: Order "Westlessness" on Amazon.co.uk JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque | @purisamir1 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit is now less than a month away. Chinese President Xi Jinping will host dozens of African leaders in Beijing in the first week of September for the triennial gathering that comes at a critical time for African countries and China. Africa needs China's support for continued infrastructure financing and to buy more of its goods, while China is looking to Africa as a vital supplier of critical resources and to develop new markets for its cars, solar panels, and other products that are increasingly shut out from G7 countries. But with very little visibility into the negotiating positions of the various stakeholders, it's difficult to tell what will emerge from this year's summit. Development Reimagined Policy Analyst Ovigwe Eguegu is closely following African preparations for FOCAC and joins Eric & Cobus to share some of his insights on what to expect. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @ovigweeguegu | @stadenesque | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Jendayi Frazer, a leading expert on U.S.-China relations and former assistant secretary of state, discusses the critical need for the U.S. to enhance its focus on Africa in the face of China's growing influence. She highlights the shortcomings of current U.S.-Africa relations and the complexities of competition with China. Frazer emphasizes the importance of understanding African perspectives, enhancing governance, and fostering direct relationships with key African nations for effective engagement. The conversation reveals the urgent call for a transformative strategy in U.S. foreign policy.

Southeast Asia is increasingly becoming a battleground for major powers as foreign ministers from China, the U.S., Japan, and Russia converge in Laos. Tensions rise over Taiwan and the South China Sea, especially with the Philippines navigating its complex relationship with China. Vietnam's leadership transition adds another layer, impacting regional diplomacy. The episode dives into the implications of U.S. foreign policy shifts and highlights emerging local narratives that shape the geopolitical landscape.

Exploring Europe's need for a new vision in engaging with Africa beyond countering China, focusing on mutual interests and long-term investment. Discussing historical colonial trauma, China-Africa relations, and opportunities for strategic partnerships amidst global political shifts.

Exploring the complexities of US-China-Africa relations, including US foreign policy challenges, impact of AGOA on African countries, relationship dynamics between China and South Africa, potential impact of a second Trump administration, and reflections on a recent Washington visit and call for support.