Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

China Refines Its Rebuttal to Persistent Debt Trap Accusations

by Eric Olander
HEADLINE TRANSLATION: "Western private lenders are the cause of Africa's heavy debts"

No matter how often the Chinese debt trap narrative is refuted by leading scholars around the world, policymakers in the U.S. and Europe seem unable to resist using the trope to frame China’s engagement in Africa and other developing regions.

United States Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, revived the allegation again last week before accompanying Secretary of State Antony Blinken on a three-nation African tour. 

Lead the Conversation on China

Subscribe Today to Get Full Access to The China-Global South Project

Check Out Everything You'll Get With Your Subscription

The China-Global South Daily Brief delivered to your inbox at 6AM Washington time

Full access to exclusive news and analysis from editors based in the Global South

Transcripts of CGSP’s twice-weekly podcasts

Students and teachers with a valid .edu email address are eligible for a 50% discount off monthly or yearly subscriptions. Email us to receive a discount code.

You Might Like

Analysts Weigh What Role China Should Play in the Biden Administration’s Africa Policy

With 43 days to go before Joe Biden assumes power in Washington, D.C., analysts in the U.S. are weighing in with suggested foreign policy priorities for the incoming administration. Some are proposing bold ...

How is the New U.S. Strategy for Africa Seen in China?

Chinese scholars and policy analysts have been poring over the recently released U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa to gauge its implications for China and its engagement on the continent. In contrast to the ...

China Hits Back at Debt Criticism

China rejected this week’s criticism by Brent Neiman, a top advisor to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, about its “unconventional” approach to debt restructuring.  Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.