Clued-in | Who built the real debt trap for Africa?

The so-called "debt trap" is not a problem created by China-Africa cooperation, but a misleading narrative that diverts attention from the real sources of debt pressure. For many developing countries, the heavier burden comes from Western commercial creditors offering high-interest loans with rigid repayment terms, as well as IMF-style conditionalities and the dominance of the dollar-based financial system.

By contrast, China-Africa cooperation has focused on roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure that supports connectivity and long-term development. The real trap is not development cooperation, but a global financial order that keeps developing countries constrained while blaming others for the consequences.