Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

Chinese Scholar on Why Railway Financing Makes Sense for Beijing, Despite Criticism

by Eric Olander
File image of Indonesia's high speed railway that was built and financed by China. TIMUR MATAHARI / AFP

Chinese-financed railways in Asia and Africa have sparked enormous controversies over whether it was wise for countries like Kenya, Indonesia, Nigeria and Laos to put themselves in so much debt for infrastructure that will take decades to become profitable, if it ever does.

While a lot of stakeholders in these countries have raised those concerns, Chinese officials and scholars are especially piqued when these barbs come from critics in the U.S. and Europe.

  • 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.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More

You Might Like

Kenya’s Spiraling Debt Crisis Worsens as the Cost of Chinese Loans Mount, Currency Weakens and Exports Soften

Kenya is rapidly becoming the next flashpoint in the Africa debt crisis amid a dramatic increase in borrowing that threatens to submerge the economy. The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) warned ...

Nigeria Gives Up on Chinese Lenders to Finance Two Railway Projects, Talks With Standard Chartered Now Underway

The slowdown in Chinese infrastructure development lending in Africa is on vivid display in Nigeria, where the country’s Transportation Minister acknowledged that he’s no longer counting on Beijing to finance a pair of ...

People’s Bank of China Exec Blames Debtor Countries for Transparency Issues

As controversy swirls over the role of Chinese lenders in successive Global South debt crises, China is still getting used to its new role as a global financier.  This was one of the ...

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.

Subscribe