In less than six years, China’s financing of overseas energy projects in the Global South plunged from $35 billion to zero, according to new data released this week from Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center. BU’s findings mirror a broader pullback in official Chinese lending in other sectors as well, indicating a profound change in Chinese international development finance.
To be sure, China is still extending loans to developing countries but they’re smaller and require much more rigorous feasibility studies.