BRICS – China, Geopolitics, and the Global South

Newsletter 27/January 2024

Contents: Flexible Loyalitäten und Allianzen +++ War about critical minerals? +++ Liebesgrüße von ‚Fat Man’ und ‚Little Boy’ +++ Weiterer Rückschlag für BRICS? +++ Ups and downs: Bid to De-Risk China’s Global Infrastructure Initiative +++ Belt&Road in Southeast Asia +++ Chinesische Konzerne in Indonesien +++ Readings: China-Africa Relations in 2024 +++ Southeast Asia’s Future: Averting a New Cold War +++ Which international Order? +++ Update Blogroll: China Global South Project +++ Quote: The Year of the Dragon

The Ghost of the Global South

The multi-layered conflict between China and the USA and their relationship with Russia and Europe determine the current geopolitical discussions and antagonisms. Especially in the transatlantic discourse, the crucial role of the ‘Global South’ in this hegemonic realignment is often overlooked. However, the South’s role will determine whether the conflict will escalate into a new bipolar bloc confrontation or whether the adversaries will incorporate their hegemonic ambitions into a new, more equitable multipolar world order.

Newsletter 24/September 2023

Contents: IMEC: Geopolitik mit Wirtschaftskorridoren +++ G20 und das Tauziehen um den Globalen Süden +++ Just another BRICS in the Wall +++ Update: Ten years of BRI: Guests by surprise +++ Danke, Flugbereitschaft! +++ Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Under Scrutiny +++ Kritische Menschenrechtsbilanz kritischer Mineralien +++ Historisches Referendum in Ecuador +++ Eisenerz aus Westafrika statt aus Australien +++ Readings: Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2023 +++ A Decade of the Belt and Road Initiative +++ Quote: Africa’s rising clout

Just another BRICS in the Wall

According to the Western view, China and Russia were successful at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg with their objective of strengthening BRICS as an anti-Western alliance. It is indeed surprising that India, South Africa and Brazil have joined the invitation to six other countries, including Iran, albeit after some resistance. Western commentators are now faced with the mystery of why important countries of the Global South are behaving in a completely unreasonable manner.

Newsletter 23/August 2023

Contents: Und Chinas nächste Marinebasis ist …. +++ Vor dem BRICS-Gipfel … +++ Water cannon incident: Threatening “peace and security” +++ 1.000.000.000.000 US-Dollar für Belt&Road +++ Belt&Road in Kambodscha: Groß und teuer +++ Ciao China: Giorgia Meloni sucht die Ausfahrt +++ Readings: Auf der Suche nach Chinas Marinestützpunkten +++ Quote: NATO’s Expansion

USA-China: Striving for friends

Applying the principle ‘winner takes all’ to the competition between China and the USA would probably mean, according to widespread view, that the one of them takes over world hegemony, either ‘authoritarian’ or ‘free’. However, the situation is far from that point, and the battle between the two rivals is continuing to rage unabated.

Ukraine-Russia: Those who are not with us ….

For its answer to the war against Ukraine, the Western world is looking for partners all over the world. But after the unexpectedly widespread support in the United Nations for Russia’s condemnation, many countries of the Global South have since taken a rather more neutral attitude, because the escalation of the conflict goes against their own interests. There are signs of a new alliance emerging, which could benefit China in particular.