This briefing note reviews the institutional landscape of Chinese financial and lending institutions, and its approach to overseas debt relief. Part 2 of this briefing maps out the key institutions and agencies within China’s overseas development finance architecture. Part 3 disaggregates between different lending institutions, highlighting differing incentive structures and approaches to debt relief.  

We highlight the disparate and fragmented ministries and institutions involved in different aspects of China’s overseas development finance, and outline the different incentive structures at work within institutions which condition potential debt restructuring outcomes. This research was conducted for a rapid response briefing, and draws from primary data and eight informant interviews, which took place in March 2021. We hope this briefing note will be instructive to policy audiences in donor countries and to audiences in borrowing countries, in shedding light on China’s lending structures and practices.