Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Paris Science and Education Forum‖ (March 2-4, 2026) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Paris, France, 2026. - 293 p.

68 Zambia (Tragedy of Communities Crisis): Zambia is an example of an ―extreme case‖ (as classified by CARI researchers). The country became the first to default on Eurobonds in the pandemic era (2020). The problem was not Chinese loans, but also the lack of transparency and coordination between the many Chinese lenders and private Western bondholders. Here, the "debt trap" was a consequence of both Zambian political incompetence and the opacity of China's loan contracts. China vs. IMF/World Bank A comparison of approaches demonstrates a fundamental difference in the cost of credit, according to indicators such as: • Instruments: China offers project financing (transport, energy), while the IMF is focused on macroeconomic stabilization. • Conditions: China avoids strict political requirements (human rights, democracy), which makes it a better partner for many elites. • Risk statistics: According to Chatham House, Chinese lenders held only 12% of Africa's external debt in 2020 (about $696 billion of the continent's total debt). This proves that China is not the sole architect of the debt crisis, although its role in debt restructuring (through the G20 Common Framework) is decisive today. Analysis of ―Debt Trap Diplomacy‖ The thesis that China is deliberately driving countries into a ―debt trap‖ to seize territories (ports or land) is recognized in the academic environment (based on CARI data and the work of Deborah Brautigam) as exaggerated or unproven. However, there is a more dangerous problem - the ―risk of inaction‖. The lack of clear coordination between Chinese banks, the opacity of contracts and the focus on short-term political victories of African leaders create systemic instability. China‘s policy is primarily economic pragmatism, focused on integrating African markets into Beijing‘s global production chain. The debt burden is not the goal, but a side effect of the expansionist model. For Africa, the challenge is not to break with China, but to create institutional barriers to contract transparency and credit portfolio diversification.