The 10 Countries Most Indebted to China—and Cambodia’s Ranking

China has provided developing countries with substantial financing, totaling as much as $1 trillion, as part of its commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The large-scale economic development project aims to promote trade between China and its partners across Asia, Africa and Europe.

Below is the ranking of the countries with the largest debts to China worldwide:

1. Pakistan: $26.6 billion in debt

2. Angola: $21 billion in debt

3. Sri Lanka: $8.9 billion in debt

4. Ethiopia: $6.8 billion in debt

5. Kenya: $6.7 billion in debt

6. Zambia: $6.1 billion in debt

7. Bangladesh: $6.1 billion in debt

8. Laos: $5.3 billion in debt

9. Egypt: $5.2 billion in debt

10. Nigeria: $4.3 billion in debt

The data is based on information from Visual Capitalist and draws on figures from 2022. Cambodia, meanwhile, ranks 12th, with $4 billion in debt to China. At this level, many Cambodian economists say the country is in a favorable position, as Cambodia’s gross domestic product (GDP) continues to grow positively each year.