China’s Overseas Lending: From Boom to Bust

Within just two decades, China has become the leading official creditor of the Global South. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese banks have lent hundreds of billions of dollars to countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Many of the recipients are now facing debt distress and are engaged in debt restructuring negotiations. This lecture explores the lending practices of Chinese state banks and their impact on sovereign debt markets in developing countries as well as the global financial architecture at large.

Sebastian Horn
Director, Kiel Institute for the World Economy
Professor of Economics at the University of Hamburg