China never absent from supporting Africa: spokesperson

China has never been absent when it comes to supporting Africa and will resolve the debt problem through friendly consultations with African countries, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

Zhao Lijian made the remarks in response to false accusations by some Western countries against China of not fully participating in the Group of 20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and of not helping African countries reduce the burden of their debt. debt.

Zhao told a daily news conference that China attaches great importance to debt suspension and relief in Africa and is committed to fully implementing the G20 debt relief initiative. China has announced major measures to alleviate African debt at the Extraordinary China-Africa Solidarity Summit against COVID-19.

“We are following the consensus reached by the leaders of China and Africa and the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and we are actively responding to the concerns of the African side,” Zhao said.

He added that the Export-Import Bank of China, as the official bilateral creditor, had signed debt suspension agreements with 11 African countries and that unofficial creditors had also reached a consensus on debt relief with some African countries. .

Zhao said China will exempt 15 African countries from interest-free loans due at the end of 2020 and continue to advocate for the international community, especially the G20, to further extend the duration of the debt suspension.

The debts of multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors account for more than three-quarters of the total external debt of African countries, he said, adding that those institutions and creditors should bear greater responsibility for debt relief.

“China’s cooperation with Africa never interferes in the internal affairs of African countries and political conditions are never subject. Those are the principles that we uphold in tackling Africa’s debt problems. The label of ‘debt trap’ cannot be passed on to China, “he said.

China has always supported Africa. The country is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with African countries and solve the debt problem through friendly consultations, Zhao said.