Since its founding, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has in theory sought to act as the international “lender of last resort,” providing financing to countries facing balance-of-payments and macrofinancial pressures. However, in the 21st century, the landscape of international rescue lending has shifted. China has become the world’s largest bilateral lender, providing assistance comparable to […]
By Cornel Ban and Xuan Li In most Western economies, venture capital (VC) is largely a private enterprise, driven by the pursuit of profit. The state typically plays a secondary role, stepping in only when private capital is hesitant. Government VC firms fill this gap, providing risk capital to innovative startups and fueling Mazzucato-style “missions.” […]
Driven by geopolitics and the threat of climate change, industrial policy has reclaimed center stage in the comparative political economy of national economies, irrespective of their level of per capita income. However, this turn has been criticized for primarily enticing private capital into serving public agendas in ways that reduce the state to a “derisking” […]
Demand for energy transition minerals (TMs) is set to expand many-fold as global investors and nations embrace the ongoing global energy transition. The task of establishing sustainable and inclusive production methods for these supply chains is an urgent one for source countries – most of which are developing countries located in Latin America and the […]
By Julia Radomski and Rebecca Ray As the global economy shifts toward a greener future, the role of public development finance institutions (PDFIs) and export credit agencies (ECAs) in financing transition minerals (TMs) — which are vital for the green energy transition — is increasingly salient. Demand for TMs is set to expand many-fold as […]
By Hua Chai and Yan Wang In recent years, the traditional focus on public debt as the cornerstone of fiscal policy has come under scrutiny. Many countries anchor their fiscal policy on the level of public debt, either implicitly or explicitly through fiscal rules. However, the prolonged period of low interest rates in advanced economies […]
By Yan Wang and Zheng Zhai Over the past two decades, China has become the largest bilateral provider of development finance. At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China reaffirmed its commitment to further opening its vast financial market to African nations, encouraging them to issue panda bonds. Alongside this, it pledged $51 billion […]
By Tianyi Wu African leaders face significant challenges in energy policy as they strive to implement low-carbon energy solutions while expanding electricity access to around 600 million people—43 percent of the total population of Africa. In this context, lending from Chinese policy banks has played a pivotal role in expanding energy capacity and facilitating sustainable […]
By Thang Ha On November 14, 2024, the Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center hosted a webinar on the latest data and trends in China’s overseas energy finance, based on the new update to China Global Energy Finance (CGEF) Database. The webinar was moderated by Rebecca Ray, Senior Academic Researcher with the Global China Initiative […]
Emerging market and developed countries must meet their shared climate and development goals to avoid the catastrophic costs of inaction. Yet, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that 26 low-income countries are in debt distress or default, and new academic research estimates say this number will double if countries mobilize the level of investment needed […]