Why Are We Still Talking About Chinese “Debt Traps?”

My own focus on China-Africa relations is filtered through my background in media studies. One effect of this training is that I’m fascinated by the narratives that shape the relationship, how they spread and what they reveal. 

One of the hardiest narratives in the relationship over the past few years has been the idea that China is a predatory lender, who uses loans to lure countries into debt distress in order to then seize key state assets. 

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by Cobus van Staden

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