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China as an International Lender of Last Resort

Author

Listed:
  • Sebastian Horn
  • Bradley C. Parks
  • Carmen M. Reinhart
  • Christoph Trebesch

Abstract

This paper shows that China has launched a new global system for cross-border rescue lending to countries in debt distress. We build the first comprehensive dataset on China’s overseas bailouts between 2000 and 2021 and provide new insights into China’s growing role in the global financial system. A key finding is that the global swap line network put in place by the People’s Bank of China is increasingly used as a financial rescue mechanism, with more than USD 170 billion in liquidity support extended to crisis countries, including repeated rollovers of swaps coming due. The swaps bolster gross reserves and are mostly drawn by distressed countries with low liquidity ratios. In addition, we show that Chinese state-owned banks and enterprises have given out an additional USD 70 billion in rescue loans for balance of payments support. Taken together, China’s overseas bailouts correspond to more than 20 percent of total IMF lending over the past decade and bailout amounts are growing fast. However, China’s rescue loans differ from those of established international lenders of last resort in that they (i) are opaque, (ii) carry relatively high interest rates, and (iii) are almost exclusively targeted to debtors of China's Belt and Road Initiative. These findings have implications for the international financial and monetary architecture, which is becoming more multipolar, less institutionalized, and less transparent.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Horn & Bradley C. Parks & Carmen M. Reinhart & Christoph Trebesch, 2023. "China as an International Lender of Last Resort," NBER Working Papers 31105, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31105
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaofeng Wang & Otaviano Canuto, 2023. "The Dollar-Renminbi Tango: The Impacts of Argentina’s Potential Dollarization on its Relations with China," Research papers & Policy papers on Economic Trends and Policies 2339, Policy Center for the New South.
    2. Riina Palu & Olli-Pekka Hilmola, 2023. "Future Potential of Trans-Caspian Corridor: Review," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-13, July.
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    4. Xiaofeng Wang & Otaviano Canuto, 2023. "The Dollar-Renminbi Tango: The Impacts of Argentina’s Potential Dollarization on its Relations with China," Policy briefs on Economic Trends and Policies 2339, Policy Center for the New South.
    5. Catherine Casanova & Mr. Eugenio M Cerutti & Swapan-Kumar Pradhan, 2024. "Chinese Banks and Their EMDE Borrowers: Have Their Relationships Changed in Times of Geoeconomic Fragmentation?," IMF Working Papers 2024/205, International Monetary Fund.
    6. Wiggins, Rosalind & Hoffner, Benjamin & Feldberg, Greg & Metrick, Andrew, 2023. "Central Bank Foreign Currency Swaps and Repo Facilities Survey," Journal of Financial Crises, Yale Program on Financial Stability (YPFS), vol. 5(1), pages 25-111, July.
    7. Saleem Bahaj & Marie Fuchs & Ricardo Reis, 2024. "The Global Network of Liquidity Lines," Discussion Papers 2423, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    8. Breczko, Agata & Zavaleta Hernández, Sandra Kanety, 2024. "The IMF's Return to Latin America: Build forward Better?," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 77(1), pages 37-62.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F2 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission
    • F65 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Finance
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • N25 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Asia including Middle East

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