At the IMF/World Bank meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, on Oct. 12, the Saudi Arabia Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan strongly defended China’s Belt and Road lending, in a panel with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President Ajay Banga. “Maybe it’s time to set the record straight,” Al-Jadaan said. “China stepped up when people actually shied away from Africa. China built infrastructure that they cannot carry with them to China; it will actually be in Africa. China took the risks, when people didn’t want to take the risks. … Instead of actually poking China, I think we should establish here that they did what they needed to do for their own interest, but also to actually help other nations…” he was quoted by CNBC as saying.
“Instead of just antagonizing them, and actually damaging the low income countries which need their help, we should just show China as much love as we can, for the sake of the low-income countries, which need to find solutions for their debt,” he went on.
