In a recent interview, Mwangi Wachira, former World Bank economist and advisor to the Kenyan government, argues that the majority of Africa’s debt is owed to Western institutions, not China. He dismisses the idea of a "debt trap" from China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), emphasizing that African nations actively seek loans to meet their development goals.

Wachira also praises China's non-interference policy, contrasting it with Western approaches that often impose external modernization models. He highlights China's pivotal role in addressing Africa’s infrastructure needs and its support for Africa’s self-determined path toward "African-style modernization."