The United States and Israel have launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a full-scale war in the Middle East. As the region descends into conflict, a fascinating debate has emerged about what this means for China: from the surge in Chinese defense stocks and weapons export opportunities, to the collapse of Beijing's landmark Saudi-Iran diplomatic agreement.

Is this a strategic disaster for China, or does the chaos actually create unexpected openings?

Andrea Ghiselli, research director at The ChinaMed Project and a lecturer in international politics at the University of Exeter, joins Eric to discuss the stark differences in how this conflict is discussed in China and in the Global West.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode:

• The US-Israel strikes on Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei
• Why Chinese defense stocks surged to a 10-year high on the Shanghai Stock Exchange
• The "ally" myth: why China was never going to militarily defend Iran
• The collapse of China's landmark Saudi-Iran diplomatic détente
• Asymmetric warfare — why Iran's cheap drones may outlast America's expensive missiles
• China's energy security: oil stockpiling strategy and Strait of Hormuz exposure
• US munitions depletion and what it means for a potential Taiwan scenario
• What to watch in Chinese discourse if the Islamic Republic faces collapse

Show Notes:

• The ChinaMed Project: How Chinese Experts are Reacting to the American-Israeli Strikes on Iran by Andrea Ghiselli: https://tinyurl.com/mr439hdp
• The China-Global South Project: "Win or Lose, America Loses": Chinese Analyst Says Trump's Iran Gamble Will Hand Beijing a Strategic Victory by Han Zhen: https://tinyurl.com/484p6bbn
• The China-Global South Project: Chinese Nationalist Voices Dismissed Online After Iran Strike Defies Predictions by Han Zhen: https://tinyurl.com/bdenrfyd

People to Follow Reference in this Episode:

• @GeringTuvia, analyst at Planet Nine, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub
• @EvanFeigenbaum, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:

• French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
• Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

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Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

The Panamanian government formally took over the two ports operated by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison this week at both ends of the Panama Canal. U.S. officials celebrated the move as part of their larger effort to expel China from the Western Hemisphere.

Washington has now set its sights on the Chinese-owned Chancay mega port in Peru.

But given the extent of Chinese engagement in Latin America, most notably the fact that the region does more than half-a-trillion dollars of trade annually with China, is it even possible for the U.S. to expel the Chinese?

Pedro Armada, a Panama City-based risk consultant who closely follows the U.S.-China rivalry in Latin America, joins Eric to discuss what happens next following the expulsion of CK Hutchison from the canal zone and what it means for the rest of Latin America.

📌 Topics covered in this episode:

• Panama's takeover of Chinese-operated ports
• U.S. pressure on Peru's Chinese-built Chancay port
• Trump's Western Hemisphere strategy toward China
• Narrative battles and misinformation in Latin America
• Trade ties that make decoupling from China difficult
• Whether Beijing is waiting out U.S. political cycles

Show Notes:

• The China-Global South Project: The Paradox of Panama's "Rule of Law": Hutchison Ports vs. Minera Panama by Pedro Armada: https://tinyurl.com/4vcta4tw
• The China-Global South Project: Panama and the New U.S. Strategy to Counter China in Latin America by Pedro Armada: https://tinyurl.com/msspbmbw

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:

• French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
• Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Shenzhen-based Transsion Holdings is now a massive Chinese technology company that few people outside of Africa and certain parts of Asia have heard of. Even in China, the brand, now the world's 5th-largest mobile phone producer, remains largely unknown.

Transsion gained notoriety after it entered the African market in 2006. Back then, the world's largest phone brands all but ignored African consumers, selling low-end, late-model devices designed primarily for Western and Asian consumers.

The Chinese company saw an opportunity and tweaked the software on its phones to optimize photos for darker skin tones, and added a suite of features like dual SIM cards, dustproofing, and longer battery life to sell sub-$100 phones to Africa's booming youth market. That formula worked, and the company's three brands, Tecno, Infinix, and iTel, have dominated the market for more than a decade.

But little is known about how Transsion achieved its success in Africa. Lu Miao, an assistant professor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, joins Eric & Cobus to lay out the company's strategy and why it was so effective in a market that others largely ignored.

Purchase the book: The Transsion Approach: Translating Chinese Mobile Technology in Africa by Lu Miao: https://a.co/d/04AKaajZ

📌 Topics covered in this episode:

• Why rural-first strategy beat Silicon Valley-style scaling
• How African distributors helped shape product design and marketing
• The importance of dual SIM cards, long battery life, and localized features
• The role of Carlcare repair centers in building long-term loyalty
• The shift from feature phones to smartphones and rising competition
• Growing patent lawsuits and the next phase of AI-driven competition

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:

• French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
• Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth