Ernst isn't exaggerating; this is a fact, much like the tribute the Song Dynasty paid to the Qidan. If such tribute were paid to a country the size of Korea, it would amount to a significant income.
America's Marshall Plan and the Soviet Union's Warsaw Pact played similar roles; only at that time, the strength of both countries was so great that they could elevate numerous nations to prosperity.
The Far East Empire of the 21st century also employs this strategy to align with other countries, particularly Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, as well as Africa. From this perspective, the current actions in East Africa are merely a reverse version of the Far East Empire's plan, but both use Nanyang as a stepping stone.
