Former colonial powers have been anxiously watching how China has been entering Africa. While it is too early to give a final verdict, former foreign correspondent in Africa and China Howard French sees more positive than negative effects, he tells in AllAfrica.Read More →

The famous author Zhang Lijia discussed earlier this week in the New York Times the prospect – of better the lack thereof – of political reform in China. In Google+ Hangout-on-air we will discuss early next week why she does not think the upcoming leadership is ready for that task.Read More →

Is it like the Gang of Four in 1976? Or Tiananmen in 1989? Or the dismissal of Chen Liangyu in 2006? Commentators struggle to find a comparison. The downfall of Bo Xilai certainly showed cracks in the varnish of unity among China’s leaders, tells political analyst Victor Shih in the Voice of America.Read More →

“At least when the Chinese say, ‘This is going to be an investment zone,’ they put in electricity and phone lines and sewers,” tells author Paul French the BBC about the failed North-Korean investment zone at the China border. The China model did not work in North-Korea.Read More →

The political trouble surrounding political big-shot Bo Xi-lai has still not been solved, tells political and financial analyst Victor Shih in Business Week. More than a week after he sent 100 police men to surround the US consulate in Chengdu to fetch Wang Lijun, Beijing still has to act.Read More →