China’s Development Finance After Peak Lending: Net Flow Reversal, New Instruments, and a More Networked BRI
ODI’s March 2026 round-up argues China is becoming more pivotal in global development as aid budgets shrink and debt pressures rise, while Beijing pursues reform within the existing order alongside parallel institutions. The selection highlights a shift toward more commercial and harder-to-track financing instruments, with growing emphasis on managing debt-service burdens and understanding intermediary-driven BRI deal structures.