BRI 'debt trap' claims merely smears: official

This year marks 10th anniversary of Belt, Road Initiative; hundreds of deals inked

Claims about "debt traps" linked to the Belt and Road Initiative are groundless smears, and will not stop the initiative from going forward, said Guo Weimin, spokesperson for the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

China has always followed internationally recognized practices and the principle of debt sustainability when promoting BRI cooperation, and has worked to establish an investment and financing system that is stable, sustainable and with controllable risks, Guo said at a news conference on Friday.

In order to avoid creating new debt risks for countries participating in the initiative, China has always taken into account their conditions when offering loans for their projects, Guo said.