Is Sri Lanka a victim of Chinese 'debt traps'? - BBC Newsnight

90% of Sri Lanka loans are to the IMF and western banks. Hambantota port construction started in 2008 and 5 years before the start of the BRI project in 2013

The “debt-trap” theory is concocted by Brahma Chellaney, an Indian geopolitical strategist. The “debt-trap” theory is concocted by Indians, and popularized by Americans. They concoct this theory to demonize China, Chinese and BRI projects/loans. India, US, along with EU, fear losing their dominance and control over other countries which may result from these projects. Such fears are based on their selfish and geopolitical interests.
However, people from all over the world, especially from developing countries have acknowledged the needs and the actual benefits of these projects/loans. They know from their first-hand experience that there is no debt-trap. Academics and researchers have reviewed these projects, and have debunked the debt-trap theory.

Tiny Buddhist nation purchased by the CCP😢

What if a China-backed government is overthrown and the new pro-democratic incumbent government cancels all the bilateral contracts, how will China collect the debts owed to that country?

It’s not like China is forcing countries to sign these deals lmao

China knows alot can't repay. So all China is doing is taking advantage of poor countries!!

Sri Lanka is not looking to borrow money according to ali sabry but no one will lend money to sri lanka because they have xhina financing their loyalties after the I.M.F. had already helped sri Lanka bail out of debts. Despite this the sri Lankan citizens are in EXTREME (to emphasise) poverty as the monies are handled by the self proclaimed gotabhaya government. Furthermore sri Lanka claims (only) not to take sides between u.s.a. & xhina as their loyalties had already been bought. Further, far be it for sri Lanka to offer advice to other countries when sri Lanka had caused the food famine and destroyed the future of much of their own young citizens ! Sri Lanka should not attempt to shake off the stigma of their sins, by shifting attention, by attempting to preach about canada's nor any other countries relations. They have not provided an account of how their civil war was financed and aided politically by xhina. Xhina had ulterior motives toward sri Lanka to that end.

The US will be like Sri Lanka with the problem of debt trap had they not been able to print US$ freely.

"Loans are not grants”. They want your resources and minerals. Wake UP சிங்களவனுக்கு எப்பதான் அறிவு கிடைக்குமோ தெரியவில்லை

Many western medias are government-funded and support the West. Most of the information they disseminate is misleading, biased or fabricated when they report about their competitors, or an enemy country. As I can see, in order to undermine China's rise, they often slander and smear China and HK! They like making rumors to mislead the audiences, distort the facts. (e.g. mislead and fake news: Hong Kong no freedom, genocide and forced labors in Xinjing , invade Taiwan, debt trap etc.)
Do you think BBC is one of them?

There is a key word for all debt traps. ISIS. Dose your country become a developed country? NO! Why? Because lazy or corrupt. Thats the typical answer. My advise is before claim your country better to ask ISIS.

Don’t listen to what the communists say but look at what the do 😂🤣🤪

Even tho sri Lanka have more debt on eu...yet bbc still blaming china

Yea chins offer 2-3%rates while US 15-32%. Western media at its finest, Mexico, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Columbia, Vietnam, Japan n many more be friend with them or enemy if they have sight on you be aware

Didn't sri lanka debt trap own 8% from the usa 😅 and 10% to china

People saying its only 10% loan, should compare about terms and conditions by china.chinas conditions are always taking over territory or always in benefit of china.

Noooooo. It's a US dollar trap. That's why they are now ditching the dollar to trade with Indian and China using yuan or local currency in a currency exchange program.

Sri Lanka as Chinese debt is less than 10%., And the Chinese portion in its yearly payment is only 2.4%

The driving fact of Sri Lanka as debt is due to high ISB , and its debt to Europe with a high interest of 6.9%, .

In 2021, Srilanka needed to pay almost 2 billion(1 b Principle, and 1 b interest) to EU. This is the highest , 47.5% of its debt payment in 2021.


It is funny calling majority of Chinese debt with 2 or 3% interest a "trap"

Meanwhile all the EU and American aid to Ukraine are actually debt with 8% interest. The west like to setup black holes and twist facts.

there's a dictatorship in sri Lanka because..china wants to keep sri lanka poor for its port strategic geo-political control of waterways..

Of course not. China holds 10% of Sri Lankas debt, the rest belongs to the West

Sri Lanka is classic case of Chinese debt trap diplomacy. All the projects Chinese constructed in Sri Lanka under BRI are owned directly and indirectly by CCP China now. Examples are Hambantota, Colombo SEZ are all owned by CCP China now. Developing world should be careful with it's dealing with hegemonic and expansionist Chinese dictator Xi Jinping.

WHERE EVER CHINA IS IN AFRICA.. THEY ARE ALL VICTIMS OF CHINA.

10% loan by China, 10% by India and Japan and the rest by International Financial Sectors. How this is a debt trap by China? BBC is stands for Big Bull Crap.

What is a Debt Trap?

A debt trap is a situation where a borrower is forced to take on new loans simply to repay existing ones. In essence, a debt trap occurs when debt obligations surpass one’s loan repayment capacity. Loans are repaid in two components – the principal and an interest amount – over a fixed predetermined period. 

A debt trap may not necessarily occur only because of expensive or high-ticket loans. If the borrower’s income is adequate, a big loan can be repaid without hassle. Therefore, the loan amount cannot necessarily be equated with a debt trap.

the construction of Hamatota Port owes China and was built by the China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) and usually China's debt has a secret agreement that the public is not allowed to know

It's definitely a loan trap. China is nothing but a big nasty vampire loan shark.

INTERNATIONAL
Sri Lanka Crisis: India Top Lender To Sri Lanka In 2022, Says Think Tank Report
India has provided a total of $4 billion in credit to Sri Lanka through its worst-ever financial crisis in 2022 to purchase essentials like fuel and medicines.

Ben Chu. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The communist say they do not know what they’re doing in Sri Lanka because they are caught red handed by the Sri Lankan public! And also communist public opinion manipulation have failed in Sri Lanka; but in time communist china will try to turn Sri Lanka into a communist state or into a communist friendly nation

If China is so evil, just let poor countries go straight to the G7 or IMF for better deals. Are you calling them stupid or what?

No amount of diplomacy or economic cooperation will make PRC government an ally. Large and wide China is, it continued to grab sovereign territories in both land and sea. PRC government in its most imperialistic, hegemonistic and monopolistic era. Just by size, obviously the bully is PRC. Japan has honored its promise to abandon its old imperialistic ways, very apologetic eversince, and provided reparation, unlike PRC/PLA navy that project a pirate mentality. Recently, a prominent Chinese desribed PRC financial institutions and banks as having a "pawnshop mentality". Japan has shown friendly economic cooperation, even riskes its massive automobile industry by outsourcing it to USA, Canada and other countries yet continues to be an ally both economically and militarily to its significant allies. PRC government practices cut throat economic competition despite being given the privelege to outsourcing by USA and other countries. Japan has no territories- lost its northern islands to Russia (another massive geopolitical bully). And for the 21st century, what did PRC government contribute? Permissive spread of covid 19 around the world.

This video is misleading and false . the total number of debts by Sri Lanka to China was less than 20%, the largest lender to Sri Lanka are first international institutions, second Asia development bank. The fact is Sri Lanka collapsed due to economic slowdown and collapse in exports. The West invented dept drap and a lot of Countries in the Global South have suffered due to the the West.

You BBC idiots spoke with officials who are already corrupt......shit hole media reporting...you can actually pimp your son's and daughters and wife's and mother's even father's to report such illogical content mates......... Please don't be a media platform with such filth.......

Analysis should include the nature of Sri Lanka's overall debt.

I think the African, South American, and Southeast Asian countries should be cautious on the potential Chinese debt traps. Yes we all understand these countries are seeking money and help from the outsiders, but the leaders of these countries should be careful on reading all the terms and conditions of these contracts. I hope the leaders won't betray their fellow citizens, but to actually bring prosperity and harmony to their country respectively.

So did Sri Lanka approach China for loans? Or China offered loans to Sri Lanka?

China is silent because of their ignorance in Outside country, so China is Manufacturing and Agriculturally growing silently. One day they will blast off the whole country in once within 1 second and no one will defeat it's super power⚠️

Another BBC dirty manipulation and propaganda of anti china.

The western media is spreading propaganda against China. This debt trap is promoted by the western jealous countries. Google it about debt that Srey Lanka owes to China. It’s only 10% of the whole debts. Another 90% srey Lanka owes to western banks and Japanese and India who are American allies. So BBC is fake news

Nope. China absolutely engineered this situatuon.

So what will happen to the Sri Lankan people of Sri Lanka cannot pay back their debt?

Sri Lanka is delusional…. China knows the assignment 😉

Why did Sri Lanka take the bait? What did they think was going to happen?

Corruption i think

No. Reason is on their government i guess

calling it debt trap is simply low. IMF and US had been doing the same for decades and no one said a thing. just because the way it is done is different u call it China debt trap? It is a free market like all u freedom fighters said.

First of all, Sri Lanka was placed into debt by the IMF long before China accounted for its 10% of Sri Lankas Debt, so what are you talking about BBC? Why do you always insinuate, pop ideas into peoples head, mqking them think its all China's faukt when the majority of Sri Lankas debt issue is from majority of western investment/IMF etc? Same thing how you (BBC) try to blame China for Africas debt. BBC tries to shift blame for Africas debt all onto China, when China only accounts for again 10% of Africas debt issue, whilst 25% of Africas debt is from the west? Why do you (BBC) keep on insisting to blame China instead of yourwelves? Don't even bither to try to shift attention away from your disgusting hypocrisy BBC. Majority of people don't buy into your prooaganda, thats all you are BBC, nothing but Propaganda

Borrowing billions of dollars and spending them on infrastructure building projects will not alone bring economic development and prosperity equally among the society. Investments in Human Resource Development, Innovation, Education, quality export manufacturing business ventures, sustainable agricultural business ventures, high quality tourism development ventures and many other useful projects without any corruption can only bring real economic development and prosperity to poor citizens.

Give me some money . 🐰