Asian Development Bank
Economy
China’s BRI problem: From builder to debt collector
China has embarked on very rapid and massive overseas lending since 2013, when it launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But it has now become the world’s largest debt collector for developing countries’ debt repayments. EAI senior research fellow Yu Hong assesses whether China’s shifting role in global lending will undercut the BRI.
Yu Hong
Economy
AIIB, ADB or World Bank: Which is the bigger lender to Southeast Asian countries?
In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, various countries have extended support to nations in need, including those in Southeast Asia. There has been talk about possible shifts in the international balance of power. In terms of funding provisions to Southeast Asian countries at least, the pandemic does not seem to have made big dents to long-established patterns. The more established multilateral development banks - the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank - are still ahead of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, but this could change in the near future with the latter stepping up its efforts in the region.
Malcolm Cook
