A critical look at Chinese ‘debt-trap diplomacy’
The rise of a meme
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13103939 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Deborah Brautigam (0000-0002-3282-0375, Johns Hopkins University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-14 |
| Publication date | 2019-12-06 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Area Development and Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2379-2949 • E-ISSN: 2379-2957 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23792949.2019.1689828 |
| OpenAlex | W2992750391 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 192 |
| References cited | 3 |
In 2017, a meme was born in a think tank in northern India: Chinese ‘debt-trap diplomacy’. This meme quickly spread through the media, intelligence circles and Western governments. Within 12 months it generated nearly 2 million search results on Google in 0.52 seconds and was beginning to solidify into a deep historical truth. Stories can contain truths and falsehoods. Human emotions, including negativity bias, prime us to think in certain ways. This paper retells a series of stories about China’s international involvement, including in Angola, Djibouti, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, that challenge the media’s spin. It concludes with some suggestions about the relationship between academia and the media and policy worlds, and the need for scholars to speak ‘truth’ to ‘power’
Ancient history · China · Debt · Diplomacy · Economic history · Economics · Media studies · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Sociology · South asia · Sri lanka · History · International Development and Aid · Law · Middle East and Rwanda Conflicts · National Identity and Symbolism
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| Unique citing works | 192 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 32 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2026 (7) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | Yes |
| Citation types | Neutral: 187 |