China is reported to have overtaken the World Bank as the biggest lender to developing countries.
According to research by the Financial Times newspaper, China's Development Bank and Export-Import Bank offered loans worth at least $US110 billion in the past two years.
That's about 10% more than commitments made by the World Bank which issued loans of just over $US100 billion.
The paper's research was based on public announcements about specific deals from them, their borrowers or the Chinese government.
The BBC reports the banks are policy banks - which have a mandate to further whatever Beijing sees as its national interest.
China is holding $US2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves.
