China must not write off Pacific island debts, says Samoan leader
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi argues it would be embarrassing and jeopardise future borrowing, after Tonga’s prime minister calls for loans to be forgiven
Samoa’s prime minister has rejected a call for Pacific island nations to ask China to write off debts from loans granted under Beijing’s foreign aid programme in the region.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said asking for aid loans to be forgiven painted an “unfaithful picture” of the recipient nation.
Malielegaoi likened it to someone requesting assistance and receiving milk, then later coming back and asking for the entire cow.
“The bigger countries [will] become reluctant to give loans with minor interests because this is what will happen,” the Samoa Observer quoted him as saying in remarks published on Monday.
“A loan is granted with minor interest yet in five years’ time a request is put in to write it off. That is embarrassing.”