As China edges toward becoming the world’s largest economy, its insistence on being treated as a developing nation becomes increasingly untenable.

By Daniel Wagner, published by The Sunday Guardian

In Brief by Probe International

Author Daniel Wagner argues that global complacency has allowed China to operate under a double standard, benefiting from its size and economic importance without facing the same scrutiny as other nations.

As China approaches the status of the world’s largest economy, its claim to be a developing nation becomes increasingly difficult to justify, as it simultaneously positions itself as both a major global power and a recipient of aid, asserts Wagner. This duality allows Beijing to exploit international systems for its benefit while evading the responsibilities that come with full participation in the global order. China presents itself as a champion of the developing world at international forums, advocating for leniency in climate commitments, notes Wagner, while continuing to finance coal projects abroad, exemplifying its climate hypocrisy.

In foreign policy, Wagner points to China’s pattern of invoking historical grievances to justify aggressive actions, such as militarizing the South China Sea and coercing neighboring countries, while labeling external criticism as interference in its internal affairs. Meanwhile, China continues to receive low-interest loans from international financial institutions despite its significant economic growth, while also acting as a lender to other nations, creating a paradox of being both a donor and a borrower.

Wagner calls for recipient nations to reconsider their reliance on Chinese loans, emphasizing that true partnerships should be based on mutual benefit rather than subservience.

Go to the publisher’s website here to read this commentary in full.

Daniel Wagner is managing director of Multilateral Accountability Associates and co-author of The New Multilateralism.