Is China luring poor countries into debt?

China has faced criticism for its lending practices to poorer countries, accused of leaving them struggling to repay debts and therefore vulnerable to pressure from Beijing.

But that is rejected by China, which accuses some in the West of promoting this narrative to tarnish its image.

It says: "There is not a single country that has fallen into [a] so-called 'debt trap' as a result of borrowing from China."

What do we know about China's lending?

China is one of the world's largest single creditor nations.

Its loans to lower and middle-income countries have tripled over the past decade, reaching $170bn (£125bn) by the end of 2020.