Without Beijing's support, practically nothing works in Guinea-Bissau. The country's president has described China as an "indispensable partner" and praises China's stance, saying the nation "never interferes in the internal politics of an African country."
China expert and China expert Diamantino Lopes, a Bissau-Guinean sociologist, has a different view on the matter: "As we all know, there are no free lunches in international relations," he warned. China always keeps its own advantage in mind and is not hesitant to demand returns for its gifts sooner or later, he added.
What returns could interest China? "China's interests in Guinea-Bissau are mainly in the geostrategic area. From the Chinese perspective, Bissau can certainly act as a gateway to the sub-region due to its location. But there are also tangible economic interests at play," Lopes said.
And the Chinese are also after Guinea-Bissau's natural resources: "Chinese companies exploit rare sands and earth in our country. Additionally, entire forests in the interior of the country have repeatedly been cut down by the Chinese in the past. Furthermore, there are oil deposits in Bissau-Guinean waters. We also have bauxite, phosphate, and other raw materials," so the expert.