As long as the Greek crisis continues and the distance between Greece and its creditors is not narrowed, speculation for the future is on the rise. Speculation does not only derive from the international media coverage but also from statements made by politicians. Greek Minister of Defense and leader of Independent Greeks party Panos Kammenos, for instance, did recently argue that ‘Greece has another plan to finance its national economy and this could include loans from the US, China, Russia and other countries’. On the same wavelength, SYRIZA MP Professor Costas Lapavitsas encourages Greece’s return to its national currency and suggests a reorientation of its international relations in an interview with Bild.
In a period of uncertainty and instability it is relatively easy to employ and develop alternative theories. But for an argumentation to be realistic other countries need to be asked first while terms of a potential assistance have to be analysed. As far as China is concerned its Foreign Ministry is not aware of any specifics. Beijing is prepared to partly support Athens and it has already done so during the crisis by buying sovereign bonds worth of €6bn during the crisis. Nonetheless, its role is a secondary and not a primary one. China hopes that Greece can emerge from the current difficulties within the Eurozone. It is not prepared to significantly intervene in the Greek crisis and jeopardize the good status of its relations with other European countries such as Germany. And it will hardly decide to provide loans to a country which faces the risk of bankruptcy and therefore might be unable to pay them back.
