China is becoming frustrated with autocratic Governments who are not delivering cash flow returns on BRI project investments On the surface, China has stated it is ready to take its relations with Sri Lanka to a “new level” and deepen a strategic partnership seeking out common development paths, Foreign Minister Wang Yi had said after[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Significant breakthroughs expected in trade, infrastructure and RMB internationalization. China has been the largest export market for GCC countries since 2012 and is the main oil and commercial partner to the GCC. China has upgraded relations with all of them to ‘strategic economic partnerships’ and all have joined the Belt and Road[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been on his traditional New Year visit to Africa, just one year after Africa united as a Free Trade Area under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which permits the duty-free sourcing and combining of African manufactured components and products into a finished item[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Morocco’s access to AfCFTA means Chinese export manufacturing in the country will boom Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ning Jizhe, the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese National Commission for Reform and Development (NCRD), have signed (during a videoconference) an MoU titled the ‘Implementation Plan on Jointly Building the Belt and Road Initiative between Morocco[…..]
Compiled By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Analysis & Opinion How Is RCEP Likely To Impact On China’s Belt And Road Initiative? (Silk Road Briefing) B3W-A Viable Alternative To BRI? (Khabarhub) Europe’s Trade Czar Walks Line Between U.S. and China (WSJ) Global Reach: China Expands Port And Military Base Network To Boost Commerce, Clout (Washington Times) China’s Soaring[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Opportunities for opening up to consumer markets in Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Russia Akbar Behnamju, the Governor of Iran`s Northern Ardabil Province has said that the Iranian government have approved the long-awaited Ardabil Free Trade Zone near the border with Azerbaijan. The project had been delayed due to bilateral political differences and[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Taiwan steps in to buy China-blacklisted Lithuanian Rum – but Lithuania doesn’t grow sugar cane. So, what exactly has Taiwan purchased? At the frankly bizarre spectrum of the Lithuania-China dispute comes the news that Taiwan, its new ‘Chinese’ best friend, has agreed to buy 20,400 bottles of ‘Lithuanian Rum’ that China had[…..]
Chile, Costa Rica, Georgia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru & Turkey all have reasons to be looking at their RCEP nations Free Trade Agreements By Chris Devonshire-Ellis The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest regional free trade agreement covering the world’s largest population, became effective on January 1, 2022. The RCEP trade bloc[…..]
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis Beijing is slowly unpicking Washington’s foreign policy, sanction by sanction, country by country. Sometimes, you just have to be patient. Cuba, the Caribbean nation long a thorn in the side of the United States since Fidel Castro took control of the island against US wishes, has managed to get around crippling US[…..]
Mohammad-Hossein Malaek, former Iranian ambassador to China and Switzerland, has said a new Chinese consulate in Bandar Abbas port city will foster Beijing’s economic presence on Iran’s Gulf of Oman coastline. Malaek told the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) that Beijing anticipated a leading role in developing the Makran region, the coastal strip along Iran’s[…..]