Germany will replace, according to a forecast by the Ifo Institute in China this year as the country with the world’s largest trade surplus. The German current account surplus summing up in 2016 is expected to 310 billion dollars said Ifo economist Christian Grimme. That would be $ 25 billion more than 2015. In the current account in addition to the exchange of goods flow, all other transfers with foreign countries – from services to development aid.

China is projected to have this year a surplus of about 260 billion dollars. In third place accordingly follows Japan with around 170 billion dollars.

In the first half year exceeded the German merchandise exports and imports by 159 billion Dollar. “The main driver was the increase in demand for goods from Europe”, Grimme said.

The German surplus will rise to 8.9 percent of economic output in the current year, the Ifo institute predicts. The European Commission already classifies values ​​of lasting more than six per cent as the stability hazardous because other states must borrow to finance their imports. It criticizes the Federal Government therefore regularly and recommends you to invest more and thus strengthen domestic demand. Even the US Treasury criticized the German surpluses as a risk for global financial stability.