This ‘Blogroll’ provides Links to Blogs, Websites, Newsletters, and other regular sources of information.
Latinoamérica Sustentable (LAS)
Latinoamérica Sustentable (LAS), formerly known as the China-Latin America Sustainable Investment Initiative (CLASII), is a non-governmental organization established in Ecuador dedicated to environmental protection and respect for local communities rights in Latin America with a focus on Chinese investments in the region, mainly in the extractive, infrastructure and energy sectors. LAS conducts research, informs, develops advocacy tools, organizes capacity building activities, and promotes exchanges and collaborations among social organizations in Latin America and other regions of the world.
Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas)
The EJAtlas is based on the work of hundreds of collaborators, from the academy, concerned citizens, informal committees, NGOs and other activist groups, who have been documenting environmental and social injustice and supporting communities on the ground for years. The database contains information on investors, the drivers for these deals, and their impacts, project details, conflict and mobilisation, references to legislation, academic research, videos and pictures. Out of more than 4.000 cases covered so far, more than 500 relate to China and to Chinese companies like lithium mining in Salar del Hombre Muerto, Argentina.
China in the Arctic region
Established in 2011, The Arctic Institute (TAI) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. with a team of researchers across the world. It claims to be „the region’s preeminent think-and-do-tank, committed to promoting diverse voices, knowledge, and new ideas on Arctic policy“. To complement a four-year priority project (until 2025) (ArcGov Project), TAI regularly publishes further reports and analyses on China’s role in the Arctic.
Elements in Global China
„The Cambridge Elements in Global China series showcases thematic, region- or country-specific studies on China’s multifaceted global engagements and impacts. Each title, written by a leading scholar of the subject matter at hand, combines a succinct, comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the debates in the scholarly literature with original analysis and a clear argument.“ Issues so far, among others: Infrastructure, Health, Food Security, Soft power, and Global Civil Society (forthcoming). „A unique feature of Elements is that their contents are updatable, making them indispensable and timely references for a wide audience.“
China in Africa
China in Africa is a Blog by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the U.S. Department of Defense established and funded by Congress for the study of security issues relating to Africa and serving as a forum for bilateral and multilateral research, communication, training, and exchange of ideas involving military and civilian participants, therefore probably a source close to official positions.
Chinese in Africa / Africans in China
The mission of the Chinese in Africa/Africans in China Research Network, established in 2007, „is to help move the global conversation about China-Africa forward in a critical and constructive way while developing a transnational community of scholars and practitioners, facilitate intellectual exchange, promote academic research, and share information about engagements between China and the African continent.“ The Network has curated a collection of resources like reading lists, bibliographies, and visual media resources; and a current list of new books on China-Africa.
The China Global South Project
The China-Global South Project (CGSP) is a multimedia organization founded in 2010 dedicated to exploring every aspect of China’s engagement with Africa. CGSP produces a mix of editorial content that combines original material with carefully curated third-party information. The current CGSP production output includes: The China in Africa weekly audio podcast, trending stories, news, analysis on and discussions about key issues shaping China’s engagement throughout the Global South.
The People’s Map of Global China
“The People’s Map of Global China is an attempt to trace Global China in material, spatial, economic, political, and human terms reflecting the experiences of the people most affected by its emergence. It tracks China’s complex and rapidly changing international activities by engaging an equally global civil society. Using an interactive, open access, and online ‘map’ format, we collaborate with nongovernmental organisations, journalists, trade unions, academics, and the public at large to provide updated and updatable information on various dimensions of Global China in their localities. The Map consists of profiles of countries and projects, sortable by project parameters, Chinese companies and banks involved, and their social, political, and environmental impacts. This bottom-up, collaborative initiative seeks to provide a platform for the articulation of local voices often marginalised by political and business elites. It is our hope that the information collected by this networked global civil society will be a useful resource for policymaking, research, and international advocacy.” The People’s Map
Global footprint in the Belt and Road Initiative
The former Overseas Development Institute (ODI), which has since become the ODI consultancy, provides “insights and analysis on China’s geo-economic strategy and policy”, according to its own statement. The focus is on the ‘global footprint’ of the Belt and Road Initiative, its impact on development through trade and investment, Beijing’s role in bilateral and multilateral financing and China’s modernization and geopolitical ambitions. ODI: China – What we cover
BRI: Deal or Steal?
“As China expands and advances its interests as a global power, we explore its influence in other countries. While the Belt and Road Initiative plays out across all continents, local societies and communities hold differing perceptions of its benefits and potential harms, despite China’s extensive public relations and propaganda effort to promote its aims. Our investigation looks at the intersection of Chinese technology transfer, soft power, communications technology buildout, and public information. Working with local researchers and writers in a dozen countries, we explore the ways China advances narratives that bolster its drive for global power, and how local perspectives either support or counter China’s ambitions. Over the next few months, we’ll be adding stories and details about the project to this page.” Global Voices Civic Media Observatory
Voices from the Belt and Road
“Voices of the Belt&Road tells the stories of people that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It demystifies the initiative by enabling you to listen to the voices of experts and policy-makers, but also the very people affected by the initiative day in and day out.” Belt & Road Advisory
The Belt and Road Podcast
The Belt and Road Podcast “covers the latest news, research and analysis of China’s growing presence in the developing world.” Erik Myxter-iino and Juliet Lu
Panda Paw Dragon Claw
“This blog Panda Paw Dragon Claw is started by those who aspire to tell a better story about China’s involvement beyond its borders. We are journalists, campaigners, analysts, scholars and practitioners with years of experience navigating Chinese politics, bureaucracy, finance and their ramifications overseas.” Ma Tianjie, Editor
Dossier: The New Silk Roads
China is pursuing ambitious plans with its “Belt and Road Initiative”—in Asia and beyond. Long-established as an economic powerhouse, the country along these New Silk Roads is also making a name for itself as a player in development policy. Many observers are already speaking of an alternative era of globalization. The West, however, remains skeptical. The fact is that relations to China shape debates and political action worldwide—reason enough to take a closer look at both the opportunities as well as the risks. The Dossier: The New Silk Roads is published by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung
Silk Road Headlines
Die Silk Road Headlines sind zwar kein Blog im engeren Sinne, aber die wöchentliche Zusammenstellung des Clingendael Institute (Niederlande) von Artikeln und Studien, die frei zugänglich sind, ist eine gute Informationsquelle.
On the New Silk Road
Wade Shepard: “I’m a perpetually traveling writer and documentary filmmaker who focuses on New Silk Road development. I’ve been on the road since ’99, reporting from over 90 countries. I am the author of “On the New Silk Road,” which tells the story of the three years that I spent traveling across Eurasian on the various corridors of the New Silk Road / Belt and Road.” Wade Shepard stopped publishing his reports On the New Silk Road in Summer 2020
Indian Eye on China
Eye on China is a weekly newsletter published by the Takshashila Institution, a public policy think-tank based out of Bengaluru, India, This newsletter is compiled by, and brings together contributions by researchers at the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution, covering not only India-China Relations, but also developments in economy and technology, military developments in China, foreign policy and Chinese domestic policics, analysing Chinese sources.
China als Infrastruktur-Finanzierer
Mehrmals im Jahr berichtet der Newsletter der Umwelt- und Menschenrechtsorganisation urgewald über aktuelle Entwicklungen entlang der Seidenstraßen. Schwerpunkte sind dabei der Klima- und der Energiebereich und internationale Finanzinstitutionen, insbesondere die Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt auf ökologischen und menschenrechtlichen Auswirkungen und Aktivitäten sozialer Bewegungen.
China als Infrastruktur-Finanzier: https://urgewald.org/newsletter-china-infrastruktur
Kämpfe entlang der Neuen Seidenstraßen
Während es zahllose Veröffentlichungen und Informationen über die Neuen Seidenstraßen im Besonderen und China insgesamt gibt, fehlen Berichte über die Situation von Arbeiterinnen und Arbeitern, über Arbeitsrechte, über gewerkschaftliche Organisierung und Proteste weitgehend. Das Forum Arbeitswelten trägt dazu bei, diese Lücke zu füllen, unter anderem mit einer regelmäßigen Berichterstattung über soziale Konflikte im Zusammenhang mit chinesischen Projekten in den BRI-Ländern.
Kämpfe entlang der Neuen Seidenstraßen: https://www.forumarbeitswelten.de/blog/tag/belt-road/
Konnektivitäts-Initiativen
Die bundeseigene Agentur für Außenwirtschaft und Standortmarketing (GTAI), eingerichtet von der Bundesregierung zur Förderung von Unternehmen im Ausland, bietet (nicht nur) Investoren Informationen über die Neue Seidenstraße, sowie über weitere ‚Konnektivitäts-Initiativen’ wie Global Gateway („Unternehmen bieten sich perspektivisch vielfältige Geschäftschancen“), die Digitale Seidenstraße, die Partnerschaft für Globale Infrastruktur und Investitionen der G7 (PGII) oder über ASEAN Connectivity 2025. „Wir zeigen, wie deutsche Unternehmen profitieren können“.
Belt and Road „gut erzählen“
Die Website Belt and Road Portal wird redaktionell betreut von der staatlichen chinesischen Nachrichtenagentur Xinhua. Sie vermittelt nicht nur einen Einblick in das regierungsoffizielle Selbstverständnis, sondern auch Informationen, bei denen man allerdings bedenken sollte, dass sie Belt&Road „gut erzählen“ sollen.
China Africa Research Initiative
Launched in 2014, the SAIS China Africa Research Initiative (SAIS-CARI) was set up to promote evidence-based understanding of the relations between China and African countries through high quality data collection, field research, conferences, and collaboration. Activities include tracking Chinese finance and investments in Africa and global Chinese debt relief, publication of newsletters, working papers, and policy briefs.
Global China Initiative
The Global China Initiative (GCI) advances policy-oriented research on China’s overseas economic activity including BRI. It manages a suite of five interactive public databases that collectively track hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese loans and investment to a variety of sectors, including energy and other infrastructure development.