City
Epaper

Trump urges World Bank to stop lending to China

By IANS | Updated: December 7, 2019 10:50 IST

US President Donald Trump has criticized the World Bank for loaning money to China on low-interest rates and urged the institution to stop lending to Beijing.

Open in App

"Why is the World Bank loaning money to China? Can this be possible? China has plenty of money, and if they don't, they create it. Stop," Trump tweeted on Friday.

Trump's criticism comes after the World Bank on Thursday adopted a plan to lend China $1 billion to $1.5 billion in low-interest loans annually for the period between 2020 and 2025, reports Efe news.

US Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, also reacted to the World Bank's announcement.

In a Congressional hearing, he said on Friday that the Trump administration had opposed the new five-year framework lending plan by the bank that has already loaned over $1 billion to China this year.

"We negotiated significant reductions in China lending with a path to get below $1 billion. We submitted our objection to the current country plan," Mnuchin said.

The reductions that Mnuchin referred to are part of a $13-billion capital increase the US supported for the bank last year reluctantly though. The US is the World Bank's largest shareholder but it does not have veto power over lending to any country.

World Bank loans to China fell from $2.4 billion in 2017 to $1.3 billion this year.

With his criticism of the World Bank for loans to China, Trump has opened a new front in an ongoing confrontation with Beijing.

The two largest economies in the world are currently locked in a long-running trade dispute that has already accumulated tariffs of billions of dollars.

The trade war runs the risk of aggravation with new impositions if Washington and Beijing do not reach an agreement before the end of this year.

Besides, Trump recently enacted two bills in support of protests in Hong Kong that provide for sanctions against Chinese officials. The move has angered Beijing.

The US Congress is now considering another bill in support of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, which also provides for sanctions against Beijing officials.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: The World BankWorld BankchinaSteven Mnuchin
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalUS Navy Helicopter and Fighter Jet Crash in Separate Incidents in South China Sea

OpinionsRare Earth Minerals Conundrum

InternationalTyphoon Ragasa Live Tracker Map: Deadly Cyclonic Storm Nears Vietnam After Wreaking Havoc in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan; Check Real-Time Status

CricketRashid Khan-Led Afghanistan Beat Hong Kong by 94 Runs in Asia Cup 2025 Opener (VIDEO)

InternationalPM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin Seen Interacting at SCO Summit 2025 in China

International Realted Stories

InternationalBahrain Foreign Minister arrives in India to co-chair 5th High Joint Commission meeting

InternationalCanada, Philippines sign defense pact to boost military cooperation in Indo-Pacific

InternationalZelenskyy says Russia launching relentless nationwide strikes, killing civilians and targeting energy sector

InternationalRulers of Emirates offer condolences to Emir of Qatar on passing of Maryam bint Abdullah

International"We will track, map, hunt, and kill them": Pentagon Chief Hegseth on US strike against "narco-terrorist" in Caribbean