After a wave of criticism from several officials accusing China of trapping Africa in debt to expand its influence, China has refuted the accusations, stressing that what links Beijing to the continent’s countries is the partnership for development.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China aims to help African and developing countries tackle poverty.
On the issue of Africa’s debt, Wang Wenbin noted that China has been supporting African countries to deal with debts, notably by contributing to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), “more than any other G20 member”.
China has contributed to 63% of debt service suspensions under the DSSI, the official said, citing research from the China-Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University. This research justifies that China has assumed its duties and has been active in communicating with stakeholders to implement the DSSI.
The spokesperson added that China has always been committed to supporting the economic and social development of African countries, cooperating based on equality and mutual benefit.