The debate about Chinese neocolonialism is long standing but has re-emerged with new force for two reasons.
One is China's One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR), which anticipates billions of dollars' worth of infrastructure projects and resource investments in dozens of countries, many economically and politically weak.
Then there were the dramatic events that took place in Sri Lanka last year, pursuant to which it turned over its Hambantota port and a massive amount of land in Colombo port to Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) in return for debt relief.