BEIJING, March 1 Reuters China is willing to constructively participate in solving the debt problems of relevant countries under a multilateral framework, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.

China, the world39;s largest bilateral creditor, has criticised multilateral lenders for not accepting losses, or haircuts, on loans to lowincome countries while Beijing is being asked to do so on credit it has extended on its own.

In a phone call with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Li said solving the debt problems of lowincome countries requires the participation of all creditors, according to a State Council, or Cabinet, statement.

A spokesperson for the IMF told Reuters that Georgieva had a very productive call with Prime Minister Li, who reaffirmed Chinas willingness to play a constructive role in resolving the debt problems of countries in debt distress.

China urged Group of 20 nations last month to conduct a fair, objective and indepth analysis of the causes of global debt problems as calls mount for lenders to help debtladen poor countries by accepting large losses on their loans.

China is a major lender to highdebt countries such as Ghana and Zambia.

Zambia owed Beijing nearly 6 billion out of a total external debt of 17 billion at the end of 2021, government data showed. Ghana owes China 1.7 billion, according to the International Institute of Finance, a financial services trade association focused on emerging markets.

Reporting…