Chinese nationals in Pakistan, Sri Lanka facing danger due to Beijing's debt trap: Report

Citizens of the countries that owe money to China, such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka have begun to retaliate against China for trapping them in its "debt trap", according to the latest ANI report. At least three Chinese nationals were killed in an attack in Pakistan last month. On April 26, a Baloch Liberation Army suicide bomber wearing a burqa detonated an explosion in a shuttle passenger bus of the Confucius Institute of the University of Karachi, killing three Chinese teachers and injuring one.

The Baloch Liberation Army has been an outspoken opponent of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor's (CPEC) construction. In 2021, a bomb attack on a bus at the Dasu hydropower plant in Pakistan killed nine Chinese engineers. Islamabad was forced to pay USD 11.6 billion in compensation as a result of the tragedy. The CPEC has buried Pakistan in debt, allowing China to utilize "debt trap diplomacy" to acquire access to critical assets in Pakistan.

Towards the end of 2021, there were massive protests in Gwadar against the CPEC, organized by the 'Gwadar Ko Haq Do' movement, demanding the removal of unnecessary checkpoints and opposing the granting of Chinese fishing trawlers. Protests against forcible land seizure have taken place in other locations where CPEC projects such as roads, railways and oil pipeline connections are being built.

Beijing warns citizens in Sri Lanka to be on lookout for attacks

As per the reports of Islam Khabar, after pro-China, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahendra Rajapaksa resigned earlier this month, Beijing has warned its citizens working in Sri Lanka to be on the lookout for attacks. On May 10, Beijing issued advice to Chinese people in Sri Lanka, saying it was closely monitoring the violent turn of events in the island country, where it has significant assets, and urging Chinese nationals working in Sri Lanka to be alert and on the lookout for dangers.

Sri Lanka is in the midst economic crisis, and Colombo's plea to Beijing to restructure Lanka's debt to China has been denied. Sri Lanka is trapped in debt because of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Colombo had only USD 2.32 billion in foreign reserves by the end of February 2022 and was facing a USD 4 billion debt repayment load in 2021-22, according to Islam Khabar. The majority of the debt was owed to China, with USD 2 billion due in 2021-22 to Beijing.

Image: AP/ PTI