External debt stocks in China
China: External debt stocks was 13.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External debt stocks in China, 1981–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks in China is 13.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in China peaked at 19.3% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1981.
That places China 115th out of 121 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
External debt stocks in China, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.0% | — |
| 1982 | 4.1% | +37.4% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 4.6% | +11.5% |
| 1985 | 5.4% | +16.3% |
| 1986 | 7.9% | +46.6% |
| 1987 | 12.9% | +64.3% |
| 1988 | 13.6% | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 12.9% | -5.0% |
| 1990 | 15.3% | +18.3% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 16.9% | +8.2% |
| 1993 | 19.3% | +14.2% |
| 1994 | 17.8% | -7.9% |
| 1995 | 16.3% | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | -7.5% |
| 1997 | 15.4% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 14.1% | -8.0% |
| 1999 | 13.7% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | -11.7% |
| 2001 | 13.8% | +14.3% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | -8.9% |
| 2003 | 12.4% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 11.7% | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | -10.7% |
| 2008 | 8.2% | -21.3% |
| 2009 | 8.8% | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | +37.3% |
| 2011 | 13.9% | +15.1% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | +15.4% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | +8.6% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | -28.6% |
| 2016 | 12.4% | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 13.7% | +10.2% |
| 2018 | 13.9% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 14.6% | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 15.1% | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 13.9% | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 13.5% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 13.0% | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.6% | 3.0% | 13.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 15.9% | 13.7% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 8.2% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.8% | 11.9% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.2% | 13.0% | 15.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3564 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 4,941 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 2.56 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 35,522 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 4.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.3727 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in China?
- External debt stocks in China was 13.0% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 1993.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1981.
- How does China rank for external debt stocks?
- China ranks 115th out of 121 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total external debt stocks to gross national income. Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad.