On September 24, The Hill Times published a signed article by Ambassador Lu Shaye titled "China's 'Debt Trap' Is a Myth". Here is the full text:

2018年9月24日，驻加拿大大使卢沙野在加《国会山时报》发表题为《“中国债务陷阱”是一个虚构的命题》的署名文章。全文如下：

China's 'Debt Trap' Is a Myth

“中国债务陷阱”是一个虚构的命题

Recently, some Western media are hyping up the so-called "China's debt trap", claiming that by providing a large amount of loans to some African and Asian countries and Pacific Island countries, China attempts to gain control over resources, infrastructures and even sovereignty of those countries once they are gripped by debt plight due to their inability to repay the loans. This proposition, while sounds so imaginative, is utterly groundless and irresponsible. And the truth is that, among China's partners, no country is beset with a debt crisis because of the co-operation with China.

近期，一些西方媒体炒作所谓“中国债务陷阱”问题，称中国向一些非洲、亚洲以及太平洋岛国等国家提供大量贷款，导致这些国家陷入债务困境，而中国则通过这些债务实现对相关国家资源、基础设施甚至主权的控制。这种论调很具想象力。但这既不符合事实，也是不负责任的。实际情况是，在中国的合作伙伴中，没有哪个国家因为与中国合作而陷入债务危机。

For years, China has been providing within its capacity some assistance to developing countries in Africa and Asia and on Pacific islands in the framework of South-South cooperation. In addition to non-reimbursable assistance, China has also provided various forms of loans to these countries, including interest-free loans, concessional loans and so on.

多年来，中国一直在南南合作框架下向非洲、亚洲和太平洋岛国等发展中国家提供力所能及的援助。除无偿援助外，中国向上述国家提供了不同形式的贷款，包括无息贷款和优惠贷款等。

It should be emphasized that the loans work on certain principles. First of all, the relevant Chinese loans have no political strings attached. China never interferes in the internal affairs of the recipient countries, and fully respects the development paths and modes of their own choice. Second, China fully respects the will of governments of the recipient countries. By funding those countries' infrastructure and other areas that lag behind for short of money, China, on the basis of their specific needs, has helped them break bottlenecks, enhance their capacity for independent development, so as to realize their economic and social sustainable development. Third, China always bears in mind the debt-paying ability and solvency of recipient countries, avoiding causing too much debt burden to recipient countries. All relevant projects have been conducted with thorough feasibility studies and market research, so that they deliver the desired economic and social benefits.

需要强调的是，中国提供贷款是有原则的。首先，中方提供贷款从来不附带任何政治条件，不干涉接受国的内政，充分尊重他们自主选择的发展道路和模式。其次，中国充分尊重接受国政府的意愿，根据他们的要求将资金投向基础设施等接受国急需发展且存在资金缺口的领域，帮助他们克服发展瓶颈，增强造血功能，从而促进其经济社会持续发展。第三，中国充分考虑接受国的负债情况和偿还能力，避免他们承受过大债务负担。所有相关援建项目都经过认真的可行性研究和市场化论证，以确保取得应有的经济和社会效益。

Facts speak louder than words. And facts have proven that Chinese loans have not plunged recipient countries into the "debt trap".

事实胜于雄辩，中国的贷款并没有把受援国拖入“债务陷阱”。

Recently, the Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary told the media that the Philippines will not fall into a debt trap because only one percent of its debt is to China. According to statistics from Sri Lanka's central bank, as of 2017, Chinese loans only accounted for around 10% of the country's foreign debts, of which 61.5% is preferential loans at interest rates below that of the international market. Sri Lankan officials stated early on that there is no such thing as a "debt trap" for Hambantota Harbour. The Pakistani government's statistics show that 42% of its debts are loans from multilateral institutions, while Chinese loans merely account for 10%. China provides preferential loans to Pakistan at a rate of around 2%, far below the rate offered by Western countries.

近日菲律宾外长向媒体表示，来自中国的债务仅占菲外债总额的1%，菲不可能因为中国的贷款陷入“债务陷阱”。根据斯里兰卡央行统计，截止2017年，来自中国的贷款仅占斯外债的10%左右，其中61.5%是低于国际市场利率的优惠贷款。斯官员早已公开表示，汉班托塔港没有所谓“债务陷阱”问题。根据巴基斯坦政府的数据，巴42%长期债务来自多边机构贷款，中国贷款仅占10%。中国向巴提供的优惠贷款利率约2%，远远低于西方国家向巴提供的贷款。

From 2000 to 2016, China's loans only accounted for 1.8% of Africa's foreign debts, and most of them are offered to infrastructure area. According to data recently released by the Lowy Institute for International Policy, an Australianthink tank, China's donations and loans to the South Pacific Island countries amounted to 1.263 billion US dollars since 2011, accounting for only 8% of the total received by these countries, which is far less than those from Australia in the same period which add up to 6.6 billion US dollars.

2000至2016年，中国对非洲贷款仅占非洲总体对外债务的1.8%，且主要集中在基础设施等领域。澳大利亚智库洛伊国际政策研究所近日发布的数据显示，自2011年以来，中国对南太岛国的捐助和优惠贷款，只占南太岛国接受捐助和贷款总额的8%，远少于同期澳大利亚的66亿美元总额。

Rather than setting up debt crises, China's assistance to the above-mentioned countries has made major contribution to the local economic and social development, gaining a high reputation from them. CNN reported on August 30 that McKinsey & Company, after surveying more than 1,000 Chinese companies in eight African countries, published a report in 2017 which found that on average 89% of their employees were Africans. Totally several million African jobs have been created by China on the continent. The China-assisted Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya, with a total length of 480 km, was completed in only two and a half years. It has reduced 79% of logistic costs and 40% of commercial costs and created 46,000 job opportunities for Kenya as well as other East African countries, driving Kenya's GDP up by 1.5% to 2% per year. As a result, African countries and many other developing countries are looking forward to expanding investment and financing cooperation with China.

中国与上述国家的合作非但未使他们陷入债务危机，相反，中国的援助为当地经济社会发展做出了重大贡献，得到受援国的高度评价。美国有线电视网（CNN）8月30日报道，麦肯锡公司2017年发布报告，经对8个非洲国家上千家中国企业进行调查，结果显示，这些企业平均89%的雇员是非洲本地人。中国企业总共为非洲带来了数以百万计的工作和就业机会。中国帮助肯尼亚建设的全长480公里的蒙内铁路只用了2年半就建成投入运营，为包括肯尼亚在内的东非国家减少物流成本79%，降低商业成本40%，创造了4.6万个就业机会，拉动肯尼亚GDP增长1.5%至2%。非洲以及许多发展中国家都热切期待同中国扩大投融资合作。

During the just wrapped-up Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said ultimately it is for the peoples of China and Africa to judge the performance of China-Africa cooperation. And leaders from African countries asked why those countries that accuse China do not contribute more to Africa's development? This may be the best answer to the question of "China's Debt Trap".

在日前结束的“中非合作论坛北京峰会”上，习近平主席说，中非合作好不好，只有中非人民最有发言权。而非洲领导人则表示，那些指责中国的国家为什么自己不为非洲发展多做点事呢？这也许是对“中国债务陷阱论”的最好回答。