World News Big-spending China still gets foreign aid

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China spent tens of billions of dollars on a dazzling 2008 Olympics. It has sent astronauts into space. It recently became the world's second-largest economy. Yet it gets more than $2.5 billion (¥210 billion) a year in foreign government aid — and taxpayers and lawmakers in donor countries are increasingly asking why.

With the global economic slowdown crimping government budgets, many countries are finding such generosity politically and economically untenable. China says it's still a developing country in need of aid, while critics argue that the money should go to poorer countries in Africa and elsewhere.

Germany and Britain have moved in recent months to reduce or phase out aid. Japan, long China's biggest donor, halted new low-interest loans in 2008. Today's aid adds up to $1.2 billion (¥101 billion) a year from Japan, followed by Germany. (AP)

本当に必要？中国への援助

中国は今や世界第2位の経済大国。自国の宇宙飛行士を宇宙へ送り、五輪や万博のホスト国になるなど近年目覚ましい発展を遂げている。そんな中国だが、現在も約25億ドルにも及ぶ「援助」を海外の先進国から受けている。

Shukan ST: October 8, 2010

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