Is China a “rogue donor” that uses its largesse to prop up corrupt and authoritarian regimes? Does Beijing bankroll politically motivated and economically inefficient ‘‘white elephants,” or high-impact projects that help host country economies grow? Who benefits most—and least—from these projects? What are the risks of borrowing from Beijing? Do Chinese development projects fuel corruption, instigate conflict, degrade the natural environment, or saddle countries with unsustainable debts?

The existing debate about China’s overseas lending and grant-giving activities is largely guided by opinion and conjecture rather than rigorous evidence. Author of the new book Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China's Overseas Development Program, Dr. Brad Parks will set the record straight with a new dataset of international development finance from China that captures 13,427 projects worth $843 billion across 165 countries over an 18-year period.