Although the sentiments expressed by one of Washington, D.C.’s most experienced and well-regarded former diplomats, Herman Cohen, are widely held in the U.S. capital, they’re nonetheless ill-informed:
1) As has been noted repeatedly by scholars at Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, and countless other institutions that track Chinese lending practices around the world, China does not have a “stranglehold over African governments” because the vast majority of African governments don’t actually borrow that much from China.
- Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
- Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
- Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.
