Kinda silly to be using the Western state funded media BBC, a glorified propaganda outlet, as a genuine source on China (they have been known to tell literal lies and forge information about China).

Either way, you're correct, it isn't charity, countries don't work that way. It isn't a debt trap either though, the loans don't come with the excessive interest rates Western Loans do, and don't come with requirements to privatize nationalized resources like Oil for foregin plundering like Western Loans do. On top of this, Chinese loans are frequently forgiven.

Why are they doing it? To build up customers as an alternative to US consumers. They want allies and people who will buy their stuff that aren't constantly threatening war.

Waiting for international cooperation to soley benefit the party recieving it, ie charity, as the only legitimate form of cooperation and all else exploitation is hopelessly naive.