Africa

[Big read] The Chinese chasing gold across Africa

Driven by the lure of riches, Chinese miners are risking it all to mine for gold in Africa. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting finds out if it is worth it, amid government crackdowns and the known dangers.

Lim Zhan Ting

11 Jun 2026

Japan, China and the race for Africa’s critical minerals

As Japan expands its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision across Africa, competition with China is increasingly centred on critical minerals, supply chains and strategic infrastructure. Japanese academic Mitsugi Endo analyses the implications.

Mitsugi Endo

25 May 2026

From airspace to sea lanes: A new front in US-China rivalry

From the skies over Africa to the strategic waters of the Middle East, the world’s vital transit nodes are being transformed into tools of statecraft. As major powers move beyond traditional warfare to weaponising global infrastructure, smaller nations find themselves navigating a high-stakes era of chokepoint diplomacy and economic coercion. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Miao Zong-Han finds out more.

Miao Zong-Han

24 Apr 2026

Grounded: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has nowhere to fly

With Beijing applying pressure to block overseas trips by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, it is difficult for him to pursue any diplomacy as he has his hands tied with little to no room to manoeuvre, while Beijing continues with business as usual. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei tells us more.

Sim Tze Wei

23 Apr 2026

How Israel’s Somaliland gambit helps Taiwan box in China

China worries that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state would set a precedent for Taiwan. It is also concerned about the greater transfer of security know-how and regional contacts to Taiwan via the Taiwan-Israel-Somaliland entente. Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia explains.

Emanuele Scimia

02 Mar 2026

China’s diplomatic blitz in Trump’s backyard — who will dominate the western hemisphere?

The high frequency of foreign dignitaries from Asia, Europe and South America visiting China at the start of 2026 indicates a strong focus and urgency behind Beijing’s effort to draw US allies closer and counter America’s efforts to restore preeminence in the western hemisphere, observes ISEAS researcher Lye Liang Fook.

Lye Liang Fook

27 Feb 2026

[Big read] How China builds influence, one parliament at a time

Beijing is paying for parliaments and palaces from West Africa to beyond. The buildings look like gifts, but they quietly anchor China inside the everyday spaces where power is performed. Are there really no strings attached? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting finds out more.

Lim Zhan Ting

23 Feb 2026

How resource nationalism is redrawing the global mineral playbook

In global politics, resource-rich countries are seeking to convert mineral wealth into security guarantees, diplomatic leverage and strategic influence — a symptom of a resurgent wave of resource nationalism.

Caixin Global

16 Jan 2026

China just shifted gears in the Middle East

As war, rivalry and realignment grip the Middle East, China is abandoning its patient, low-risk approach. Beijing is accelerating diplomacy, security engagement and economic planning — raising both its influence and its exposure. Academic Alessandro Arduino explores the situation.

Alessandro Arduino

19 Dec 2025

Simandou mine: How China is driving Guinea’s new model for resource growth

The Simandou mine shows how China and Guinea are redefining resource development. By linking mines, railways, ports and local skills, it offers a new model for sustainable growth, says academic Gu Qingyang.

Gu Qingyang

19 Dec 2025

Indonesia’s high-speed rail hits a money crunch — can it pull through?

Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail (Whoosh) faces heavy financial losses as ridership falls short and debt payments rise. Can the project overcome these challenges and stay on track? Researcher Michael Hutahaean and academic Chen Xiangming examine the situation.

Michael Hutahaean, Chen Xiangming

12 Dec 2025

When Chinese mining meets weak governance in Africa — who pays?

The Lubumbashi dam collapse exposes the human and environmental toll of Chinese mining in Africa. Weak oversight leaves communities and forests at risk — a warning spotlighted at COP30. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May unpacks the stakes.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

08 Dec 2025