一帶一路與債務陷阱
事實上，中國用所謂的「債務外交」擴大其影響力。中國如今為亞洲、非洲、歐洲甚至拉丁美洲的政府，提供數千億美元的基礎建設貸款。但這些貸款的條款在最好的情況下也無法作到透明化，而且利益幾乎全部流向北京。
In fact, China uses so-called "debt diplomacy" to expand its influence. Today, that country is offering hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure loans to governments from Asia to Africa to Europe and even Latin America. Yet the terms of those loans are opaque at best, and the benefits invariably flow overwhelmingly to Beijing.
【延伸閱讀】貧窮國家冀望中國「一帶一路」專家：恐將陷入債務陷阱
問問斯里蘭卡吧，他們借了鉅額債務，讓中國國企建造商業價值大有疑問的港口（漢班托塔港）。兩年前斯里蘭卡無力償還貸款，於是北京迫使斯里蘭卡將新建的港口交到中國手裡。這個港口可能很快就會成為中國遠洋海軍的前線基地了。
Just ask Sri Lanka, which took on massive debt to let Chinese state companies build a port of questionable commercial value. Two years ago, that country could no longer afford its payments, so Beijing pressured Sri Lanka to deliver the new port directly into Chinese hands. It may soon become a forward military base for China's growing blue-water navy.
【延伸閱讀】斯里蘭卡港口租借中國99年 民眾示威抗議引發暴動
在我們所處的西半球，北京向委內瑞拉腐敗無能的馬杜洛政權拋出了救生索，承諾提供50億美元的貸款、還可用石油償還。中國是委國最大的單一債權人，委內瑞拉人民背上了超過500億美元的債務。對於承諾配合中國戰略目標的政黨和候選人，北京也直接提供支持，藉以影響這些國家的政治。
