Chinese Envoy Rejects Kenya ‘Debt Trap’ Claims
Guo scolded the so-called double standard used in international debt talks: “It’s unfair to refer to Western nations’ loans to their countries
There is no 'debt trap' between China and Kenya," she clarified. "China lends voluntarily, not coercively. All financing issued has been in accordance with development projects within Kenya's Vision 2030 program. Photo/ KBC Digital
By Juliet Jerotich
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, has outrightly denied claims that Chinese loans are putting Kenya in a “debt trap,” referring to the narrative as false and poisonous to true development cooperation.
During a recent interview on Capital FM, Ambassador Guo emphasized that China’s financing to Kenya is transparent, mutually agreed, and is directed towards the nation’s development goals.
There is no ‘debt trap’ between China and Kenya,” she clarified. “China lends voluntarily, not coercively. All financing issued has been in accordance with development projects within Kenya’s Vision 2030 program.”
Citing figures from Kenya’s National Treasury, Guo said Chinese debt accounts for only 13% of Kenya’s foreign borrowing, much smaller compared to that from multilateral creditors (55%) and commercial creditors (23%).
She noted that most Chinese loans are concessional with interest rates below 3% and free of political conditions. According to the envoy, such financing structures have been instrumental in driving Kenya’s infrastructure, stimulating economic growth, and improving people’s livelihoods.
“Adequate financing is a strong spur to development even for developed economies,” she further added, cautioning against focusing on the black side of lending at the cost of glossing over the positives.
Guo scolded the so-called double standard used in international debt talks: “It’s unfair to refer to Western nations’ loans to their countries as ‘investments’ and to call China’s loans to its nations a ‘trap’. None of the African nations has gotten into debt crisis through cooperation with China.”
The ambassador spoke of the revolutionary impact of Chinese-funded projects in Africa, like the construction or reconstruction of over 10,000 kilometers of track, 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, 100 ports, and power plants, hospitals, and schools—efforts that have generated over 1.1 million jobs.
Focusing on Kenya-specific initiatives such as the Standard Gauge Railway and Nairobi Expressway, Guo highlighted that these have boosted transport infrastructure, created employment, and assisted in maintaining long-term economic stability.
“While debt management is important, using it as a political weapon undermines the effort to fight poverty and underdevelopment,” she warned.
Guo urged Kenyans to remain watchful against politicized media coverage, with the risk of disrupting positive cooperation between China, Kenya, and the rest of the African continent.
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