evidence: American statesman John Adams, who served as U.S. president from 1797 to 1801, famously said, "There are two ways to conquer and enslave a country: One is by the sword; the other is by debt." China, choosing the second path, has embraced colonial-era practices and rapidly emerged as the world’s biggest official creditor. [...] The latest to fall prey to China’s debt-trap diplomacy is small Laos, which recently signed a 25-year concession agreement allowing a majority Chinese-owned company to control its national power grid, including electricity exports to neighboring countries. This shows that, even as the China-originating COVID-19 pandemic exacts a heavy toll across the world, Beijing continues to weaponize debt as part of its strategy to expand its economic, political and military presence abroad.