The people's Republic is the largest donor in the world. In the capital, it is about influence in developing countries, explains the Sinologist Nora Sausmikat.

Kenya, from China, a railway build a, and is accordingly photo: Thomas Mukoya/reuters

taz: Mrs Sausmikat, Western politicians warn of the increasing financial dependency of many countries from China to blame. Right?

Nora Sausmikat: This is a difficult one to answer. The institutional financial architecture in China, as well as the procurement practice differ from traditional Western donors. Often, it is unclear to forgive the purpose for which the funds are. The question as to what conditions you place, is often not answered. The fact is: According to the Institute for the world economy, the world, China is owed by the end of 2017 more than 5 trillion US dollars. Since 2009, the people's Republic of greater credit is donor than the United States. The Chinese loans have helped many countries, but at the same time contributed to the fact that countries which were previously in debt already, are in an even bigger debt crisis.

What has the for the countries concerned for follow?

you will be dependent. Djibouti, for example, is indebted to China with 1.4 billion dollars. That's the equivalent of two-thirds of economic output. Or Sri Lanka: The country had to recently assign its port to a Chinese state-owned enterprises. Twelve States have today, payment difficulties and are unlikely to be able to the loans to China to repay. Countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique or South Sudan in payments are virtually incapable of. Of course, the accumulated debt, not just on China's account. But the credit allocation of the Chinese exacerbated the Situation. But at the same time – and this must be stressed, operates China's deleveraging policy.

55, is a China expert. Since 2019, she works for the non-governmental organization Urgewald.

In what Form?

China has rescheduled to 59 countries, a total of 45 billion dollars, as a recently published study of erlassjahr.de is. 9.4 billion dollars of which were even adopted completely.

Ties in China, such a debt relief to political conditions?

Officially this is denied, of course. De facto, however, that political conditions are provided. Many of these participating States are not democratic States. Ultimately, it is in these countries, the ruling elites that drive their countries into Ruin. They are often corrupt and use the loans for their own purposes. The result is that this credit crisis spiral is stretched to the Utmost. China's political influence in these countries is extremely high.

it is Often said: Many countries would accept the Chinese loans, because China, unlike Western countries, no conditions, and also not politically involved. Is that true?

no, I wouldn't say so. Many Chinese loans are not targeted for development assistance, but commercial. These companies are in many of these States, however, very closely with the ruling Elite intertwined.

What the people in the affected countries of China's investment?

Pakistan is an example of how the evaluation of the population and the government diverge. The official Narrative is China-friendly. In the course of the construction work in the port of Gwadar, as there was no drinking water, it was there, but to violence and Attacks on Chinese workers. Similar can be heard from other countries.

A colonial past, the Chinese, unlike the Europeans, in these countries, however.

That was the Bonus, the China in the noughties years as a new development financing in the countries of the Global South had. After the negative experiences, not least of all with the IMF and the world Bank, came a player who forgave without a post-colonial setting loans. Meanwhile, there are in many African countries, a change in thinking. China's help is not selfless. And if the investments do not yield the desired profits, it can also come from the Chinese side to draconian penalties. This Bonus, the China was in the beginning, is now playful, too.