HeyJaredThe China in Africa Podcast
Twice-weekly discussion about China's engagement across Africa and the Global South hosted by journalist Eric Olander and Asia-Africa scholar Cobus van Staden in Johannesburg.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 11
- Latest publication
- Sep 18, 2026
- Audience
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 10, 2026
Latest episodes
China, Taiwan and the Somaliland Question (opens the original)
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China's engagement across Africa is increasingly shaped by both high-level geopolitics and competition in everyday markets. Somalia's renewed ties with Beijing are being driven in part by the Somaliland question, particularly its growing relationship with Taiwan. At the same time, Chinese companies continue expanding their commercial footprint across the continent. The U.S.-China technology contest is also playing out in Africa, but the scale of investment highlights a significant gap between Am
Kenyan President Orders Crackdown on Foreigners in Small Businesses, Including Chinese (opens the original)
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Kenya's crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses has put Chinese traders at the center of a wider debate over competition, immigration, and economic opportunity. President William Ruto's targeting of foreign merchants has raised concerns about xenophobia while exposing deeper frustrations over how Chinese businesses operate in Kenya's informal economy. China's role in Africa is also expanding beyond trade. Xi Jinping's visit to Egypt highlighted Beijing's push for a greater role in Mid
Is China Decolonizing African Media or Expanding Its Influence? (opens the original)
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China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. These "below-the-line" strategies give Chinese narratives a pathway into African newsrooms that extends well beyond the reach of traditional state outlets such as CGTN and Xinhua. But the push for greater Chinese influence raises a deeper question about decolonization. While Beijing presents its media engagement as an al
Africa Buys From China. What Can It Sell Back? (opens the original)
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China-Africa trade is surging and could top $400 billion this year, but the headline figure obscures a relationship that remains heavily concentrated among a small number of countries and increasingly tilted toward Chinese exports. Much of what Africa sells to China is still made up of commodities and raw materials, while Chinese exports increasingly include machinery, chemicals, components, and other intermediate goods that can support local manufacturing and industrial development. The bigger
Why Namibia's China Strategy Is Worth Watching (opens the original)
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Quite often, foreign leaders travel to China without a clear strategy for turning high-level diplomacy into tangible economic gains. This was on display earlier this year when U.S. President Donald Trump's much-hyped summit yielded few actionable outcomes. Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took a different approach during her visit to Beijing in July. She arrived with specific priorities, a clear understanding of Namibia's leverage, and a strong focus on investment, value addition, and j
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