Webinar: “China’s debt-trap diplomacy: Is ASEAN a victim?” - Part1

Date: Saturday, 9th January 2021
Time: 3PM MYT || 7AM UTC || 8AM CET

Panelists:

Prof Dr Ramon Guillermo, Centre for International Studies, University of the Philippines

Didi Kirsten Tatlow, Senior Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)

Dr Maung Zarni, Forces of Renewal Southeast Asia (FORSEA)

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Former Senior Malaysian government Minister

Moderator:
Osman Softic, Islamic Renaissance Front

Jointly organised by:
Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) & Forces of Renewal Southeast Asia (FORSEA)

China has often been accused of “debt-trap diplomacy”, a term coined by Indian geostrategist Brahma Chellaney to describe China’s predatory lending practices. It is claimed that China lures developing countries into huge loans, forcing them to cede strategic assets to China if they are unable to repay. Allegedly, this strategy enables China to extract economic or political concessions from the debtor country in an attempt to further its geopolitical and hegemonic ambitions.