Zambia’s debt to Chinese creditors was over $6 billion by the end of June, according to data disclosed by the government on Oct. 7. The Chinese regime’s lending practices have been labeled “debt-trap diplomacy,” as it provides developing nations with often unpayable loans for infrastructure projects, making them dependent on China. The figures were published by Zambia’s recently elected new administration, after the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) released a report (pdf) last month estimating the country’s debt to Chinese lenders to be $6.6 billion. The new number is roughly double the amount divulged by the previous government. Zambia’s exposure to Chinese creditors amounts to more than 40 percent of the nation’s total external debt, which was $14.67 billion in June, including publicly guaranteed and non-guaranteed debt. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been called out for its predatory lending practices, allegedly aimed to expand its geopolitical influence by subjugating …