- Chinese lending to Africa dates back to the 1960s, when Mao Zedong sent arms to help rebels fighting against European colonizers.
- China has rapidly expanded its financial assistance to Africa in return for natural resources to continue fueling its growth.
- African nations have embraced Chinese loans more than condition-laden loans from the World Bank and IMF.
- However, since an estimated $200 billion in Chinese loans is unreported, some fear that African nations have over-borrowed and China could use failed re-payments to seize resources.
