As China’s economic influence expands, so does its ambition to shape the very system that once constrained it.
In this episode of The China-Global South Podcast, Eric speaks with Greg Chin and Kevin Gallagher from Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center about their new book that details China’s transformation from a “rules taker” within the Bretton Woods system to a “rules maker” who’s now reshaping the international development finance architecture.
Greg and Kevin explore the country’s growing role in the IMF and World Bank, its creation of new institutions like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB), and what this means for developing nations navigating between Western and Chinese-led finance.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro and Today’s Focus
00:45 SCO Summit and China’s New “G” Initiatives
01:55 Book setup: China and the Global Economic Order
02:38 Guest Bios: Gregory Chin and Kevin Gallagher
03:11 China’s Path: Rule-Taker → Shaker → Maker
06:27 Motivations to Make The Transition
10:20 Concept: “Two-way Countervailing Power”
13:27 Green Finance and “next practices” via AIIB/NDB
13:47 Debt restructuring norms fight (Zambia, Ghana)
18:52 Fresh moves: Kenya’s USD→RMB swap; Indonesia talks
19:33 Institution Layering Rather Than Replacement
20:40 What China Wants?
23:49 What are the reactions from the U.S?
27:40 Reactions from the Global South Countries
33:23 Changes in the traditional donor-recipient relationship
35:51 Understanding the moment that we’re in
41:55 Conclusion
SHOW NOTES:
📚 Read the book - https://tinyurl.com/5n7rdyv3 (Free Download)
JOIN THE DISCUSSION:
X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: / @chinaglobalsouth
Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social
FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH & SPANISH:
French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas
JOIN US ON PATREON!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth
