U.S. Grapples with Hidden Chinese Loans Amid Growing Concerns

The United States, while cautioning other nations against Chinese loans, finds itself entangled as the primary recipient of over $200 billion in Chinese state-backed financing over 25 years. This flow of capital, often disguised through intricate structures involving offshore shell companies, has facilitated the acquisition of stakes in U.S. companies operating in critical sectors like robotics and biotechnology, raising significant national security apprehensions. Revealed by AidData, this lending practice extends beyond standard global patterns, encompassing wealthy nations previously thought immune. China’s strategic objectives, linked to lending by state-owned banks, have catalyzed advancements in critical industries like rare earths and semiconductors,…