As crunchy vignettes in U.S.-China relations go, it’s hard to beat the moment in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter pressed Deng Xiaoping to let Chinese people e

In 2015, much emphasis has been placed on a partnership between the African Union and China in order to accelerate the construction of the three major networks to help materialize the “century dream” of connecting all capital cities in Africa with high-speed railways. African economic integration calls for not only consensus and impetus from African countries, but also external investment to drive the process.

Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, recently suggested ways to further improve China-U.S. economic cooperation, which is the major external factory driving the improvement of bilateral relations. Export restrictions, economic recognition, IMF quotas, and U.S. politicization of economic issues have been some of the major problems hindering economic ties.

China and the African Union are partnering to help create a more connected continental infrastructure which would assist the development of Africa by breaking away from colonial linkages and the fostering of intra-African trade and well as Pan-African identities. The signed agreement hasn’t specified the infrastructure development plan, but it could prove transformational.

He Weiwen details the monetary values of China’s relentless wave of foreign direct investment worldwide during 2014. China’s structural changes in its economy, which will allow for further growth in 2015, especially between U.S. and Chinese companies, are also discussed.

The steep drop in global oil prices has created ripple effects in the economies of Latin America, largely due to oil-for-loan schemes made with China. Fernando Menédez argues that even if China were to forgive their mounting debts, or more likely, when they default, these countries will still be in worse shape resulting from their failed economic policies.

Chinese companies and banks are building and funding many infrastructure projects across Latin America. Analysts have said some of these projects are being built for geopolitical reasons, but the main reason is to secure supplies of natural resources for the burgeoning Chinese economy.

Following the ratification of Canada’s Foreign Investment Protection Agreement with China, Hugh Stephens examines the controversy surrounding the Canadian agreement and explains how existing trade and investment treaties between China and the United States promote Canadian investment interests as well.

Could Beijing’s anti-monopoly investigations of foreign companies be contributing to a fall in foreign direct investment? Gordon G. Chang examines the trend and describes how increased scrutiny of Western companies could lead investment flows out of China.