Viewpoint
01.26.23
What Impact Would a U.S. Debt Default Have on China?
The big political drama in Washington in the next few months will be the fight over the federal debt ceiling. The worst-case scenario is that Congress refuses to raise the ceiling and the U.S. Treasury defaults on its debt. Since U.S. treasury debt...
The China Africa Project
09.20.18
Whose Problem is Kenya’s Debt: Kenya’s or China’s?
Nairobi-based international development economist Anzetse Were suggests in a new paper that Kenya’s leaders, not China, should be the ones held accountable for borrowing too much money without a detailed, transparent plan on how to repay the loans...
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08.02.18Pakistan Puts a Spotlight on China’s Opaque Loans
Financial Times
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former cricket captain and newly elected prime minister, is on a sticky wicket. His victory in last week’s polls was secured in part on a pledge to ramp up spending on public services. Yet the coffers are empty and a balance...
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07.26.18More of Africa Finds Itself in China’s Debt
Wall Street Journal
Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a slate of investment deals during a weeklong tour of Africa, feeding into concerns in the West and on the continent over ballooning levels of indebtedness to Beijing and its expanding political footprint.
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05.15.18Warning Sounded over China's 'Debtbook Diplomacy'
Guardian
Academics identify 16 countries loaned billions that they can’t afford to repay.
The China Africa Project
04.16.18
Angola: China’s Risky Gamble in Africa
China has loaned Angola an estimated U.S.$60 billion dollars since the two countries established diplomatic relations back in 1983, making it one of the top destinations for Chinese financing in Africa. Angola is especially attractive for the...
The China Africa Project
03.19.18
Tillerson’s Last Act: ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do’ Advice for Africa
There is a certain irony when a U.S. envoy travels to Africa to warn his hosts about the dangers of borrowing money from China. The United States, after all, is the world’s most indebted country and borrows more from China than any other nation in...
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08.16.17China Reclaims Spot as World's Biggest Holder of Treasuries
Bloomberg
China reclaimed its position as the top foreign owner of U.S. Treasuries after increasing its holdings for the fifth straight month.China’s holdings of U.S. bonds, notes and bills rose to $1.15 trillion in June, up $44.3 billion from a month earlier...
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02.09.17Why Donald Trump Can’t Bully China on Trade
Guardian
Beijing holds trillions of dollars in U.S. debt and any trade disruption could lead to huge price rises in the budget stores on which many Americans rely
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01.04.17China Inc.’s Large Dollar Debts Fuel Beijing’s Efforts to Curb Yuan Plunge
Wall Street Journal
The large pile of foreign debt owed by Chinese companies, from state-owned banks to airlines, is giving added impetus to Beijing’s efforts to keep the yuan from falling too steeply against the rallying dollar.
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03.14.16How Much Foreign Debt Has China Repaid?
Barron’s
China began to repay its foreign debt, which promotes systemic stability but puts a downward pressure on yuan.