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The World Bank will phase out all lending to China by 2031 under a newly established country partnership framework, according to a source familiar with the matter.
An anonymous official confirmed that the organisation is shifting its role from a financial lender to a knowledge partner to reflect China’s massive economic advances and development trajectory over the past several decades.
Lending to the world’s second-largest economy has already steadily declined as the country achieved explosive growth and drastically reduced its poverty indicators.
World Bank loans to Beijing peaked at $2.42 billion in 2017 but plunged to just $750 million by 2025.
Simultaneously, China has grown into a major financial contributor for the institution, donating $1.5 billion in the latest replenishment round for the International Development Association (IDA) pool to become its fifth-largest donor.
This long-term policy shift aligns with broader institutional and geopolitical developments.
US President Donald Trump aggressively demanded a total halt to World Bank loans for Washington’s chief economic rival during his first term in office, and he has maintained a highly confrontational tone toward Beijing in his second term.
This strategic pivot mirrors a similar plan the World Bank announced on June 16 for Poland, which also aims to eliminate loans by 2031 while continuing technical assistance.
