Ten years ago, China announced “the new Silk Road”. In his book “The Dirty Silk Road”, Philipp Mattheis, former China correspondent of the star, the dark sides of the mega project. In an interview, he talks about Germany’s loss of prosperity and how China buys political solidarity.
Ten years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the “geo-strategic project of the century”, the “New Silk Road”, in a speech in Kazakhstan. Since then, China has showered the world with billions in loans and investments. The country wants to revive the historic trade route between Asia and Europe and expand it with the “Maritime Silk Road” between China, South and Southeast Asia and Africa. Mr. Mattheis, what is dirty about the project?
China has given loans to poorer countries that need investments in infrastructure – for trains, roads, ports, airports. For my research, I traveled to Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kenya and Laos, among other places. Chinese goods are exported to these and many other countries, as well as ideology and economic dependencies. Often the recipients are authoritarian regimes. If you look at the UN General Assembly, it is noticeable that they consistently vote in China’s favour: on the crimes against the Muslim Uyghurs or on aggression against Taiwan, which China sees as part of the People’s Republic.
Source: Stern
