Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

The Indian Pundit Who Created the Discredited Chinese “Debt Trap” Meme is Still Convinced He’s Right

The creator of the widely-debunked Chinese “debt trap” meme is at it again with a new litany of breathless warnings about the risks developing countries take on when they borrow money from China. 

Indian pundit Brahma Chellaney on Tuesday published a new article on the topic in the normally dependable academic publishing site Project Syndicate. His piece was riddled with inaccuracies. Repeated factual errors aside, Challeney’s writing is important because it buttresses many of the powerful Indian and Western narratives that frame Chinese engagement in the Global South.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

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.