Dongsheng Collective Podcasts

In the lead up to Africa Liberation Day on May 25, we are joined by Etsehiwot Negash Kebret and Patrick Anam from Development Reimagined to discuss the African Union – whose predecessor was formed on this date in 1963 – and its growing relationship with China. Patrick is International Trade Policy and Trade Law Expert based in Nairobi, Kenya. He fo…

In this episode, we look at China’s increased engagement with the African Union, as the latter celebrates its 60th anniversary, we appreciate the architectural beauty of the new AU HQ (built by China) and give you a preview of what we’ll cover in upcoming episodes. The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast is a bi-monthly podcast giving you a fresh look a…

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Grieve Chelwa to look at the Zambian debt crisis, China’s relationship with Zambia, US Sec. Treasury Janet Yellen’s visit to Lusaka, and the kafwafwa caused by the US in the DRC-Zambia agreement on developing renewable energy resources. Dr. Grieve Chelwa is a Zambian economist with broad research interests mainl…

Welcome, we start 2023 by analyzing the new Chinese Foreign Minister Qing Gang’s visit to Africa. Who is he? Which countries did he visit and why? And how did the world react to this? For more general information: ‘Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s 5-nation African tour a show of solidarity, strategic importance, analysts say’ by Jevans Nyabiage,…

Complements of the season! In this episode, we talk about who we are and why we started our Africa-China podcast as well as what you can expect from us in 2023! The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast is a bi-monthly podcast giving you a fresh look at the news, events, and debates around China-Africa relations from the perspective of two young(ish) Afri…

With COP27 on the news we look at climate change, China’s true role in it, building an ecological civilization, honoring climate adaptation financing in Africa, and why our continent will not join the ‘green energy’ transition anytime soon. For more on some of the topics discussed check out: The Global Carbon Project by CDIAC, 14 November 2016. Chi…

In this episode, we talk about some of the ‘Afronauts’ who dreamt of reaching the moon before the US & Soviet Union, the new Global North scramble for extraplanetary resources, and what practical steps African nations are taking around space cooperation projects with China. For more on some of the topics discussed check out: The Zambian “Afronaut” …

African leaders have resoundingly rejected for our continent to be turned into a battleground for a new, US-led Cold War which, while targeting Russia and China directly, is having huge political and economic impacts in the Global South. We explore how the shortcomings of the UN system and lack of equitable representation in other major multilatera…

In this episode, we do a short cultural snippet about the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival. We look into the origins and customs of the Chinese harvest holiday that comes with orange flowers, poetry, matchmaking, and ancient surfers! The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast is a bi-monthly podcast giving you a fresh look at the news, events, and debates aroun…

In this episode, we discuss China’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with Congolese researcher and human rights activist Kambale Musavuli. Kambale takes us through everything from the responsibility of local elites in delivering projects, to the US efforts to cut China off from vital strategic minerals (involving both Hilary…

The Biden administration just launched the new U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, which is heavily focused on geopolitical competition with Russia & China and less on engagement with African aspirations and interests. In contrast, China has just announced that it is removing almost all trade tariffs on exports from 16 of the world’s least dev…

Allegations and accusations that China is trapping Africa into unsustainable debt agreements have dominated the conversation around Africa-China relations in Western media, but what does the data tell us? We look at the international implications of this claim, what debt trap diplomacy is, and who owns most of Africa's external debts. Featuring Sri…

What role did China play in Africa’s liberation? We look into it, from early voyages by Admiral Zheng He compared to European “explorers” to the 1967 Chinese-support building of the TAZARA railway in Zambia & Tanzania against Apartheid. The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast is a bi-monthly podcast giving you a fresh look at the news, events, and debat…

Does China act as a “neo-colonial” force on the continent, grabbing land and subordinating the needs of Africans? We’ll discuss this, how the Ukraine conflict affects food security, Prof. Deborah Brautigam's amazing work on this issue, & much more. The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast is a bi-monthly podcast giving you a fresh look at the news, event…

Welcome to "The Crane: Africa-China Podcast", a bimonthly podcast about Africa and China relations.By Dongsheng Collective