How China is Going to Reshape Asia

[PJL]

With China and Iran signing a multi-billion dollar deal for the next 25 years, there remains little gainsaying that the former is going to increase its footprint in West Asia/Middle East in a way that once was thought to be unimaginable for reasons that included China’s own economic policies and West Asia’s too close ties with the West to allow for any players. Forces of economic change that China is unleashing will not only become a massive boost for Iran, but Iran will become a gateway for China’s further expansion into the Middle East, including countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, that Iran rivals. For China, its presence and expansion in the Middle East is not merely about economic benefits; this presence is equally driven by the emerging US-China global rivalry and China’s desire to push back against erstwhile US hegemony and domination of the Middle East since the Second World War......As such, when China’s foreign minister went on a tour to the Middle East last week, he was not merely looking to sign a deal with Iran; he was more interested in and largely focused on introducing new rules of the game that focus, first and foremost, on economic engagement and connectivity. Rather than traditional Gulf tensions. Therefore, while Wang Yi met Saudia’s Crown Prince, MBS, and supported Saudi stance to oppose any “interference” in the internal affairs by any external player, Wang also offered MBS, who is currently not on good terms with the Joe Biden administration, an opportunity to engage with China “to explore and find a path of development that fits its own conditions.” This path, as Wang emphasised in an interview with Saudia’s official news channel, Al Arabiya, can be found only when Gulf countries can “break free from the shadows of big-power geopolitical rivalry and [be able to] independently explore development paths suited to its regional realities.”.............https://journal-neo.org/2021/04/01/h...ape-west-asia/

[Peter1469]

I don't think that China can smooth over 13 centuries of hate between Shia and Sunni Muslims.

And Iran won't be an easy pushover for China. The Persians are as proud of their history as China is of theirs.

[PJL]

I don't think that China can smooth over 13 centuries of hate between Shia and Sunni Muslims. And Iran won't be an easy pushover for China. The Persians are as proud of their history as China is of theirs.

Stop fooling yourself that ME countries don't want better for their whole region ......that's exactly what China is offering them.......and they know too well , that China won't be throwing dry fuel on the sectarian fire ......and they have offered the same massive investment to Suadi Arabia , as they have just signed with Iran . This is how you shut down the deepstate .

[Peter1469]

Stop fooling yourself that ME countries don't want better for their whole region ......that's exactly what China is offering them.......and they know too well , that China won't be throwing dry fuel on the sectarian fire ......and they have offered the same massive investment to Suadi Arabia , as they have just signed with Iran .

Iran's current regional policy is at odds with the Israelis and the Sunni Arabs., China isn't going to change that.

[PJL]

As it stands, China has offered Saudi Arabia the same path it has signed up with Iran. Therefore, China, while it does not want to get entangled in the cross-web of geo-political rivalries in the Persian Gulf, aims to chart a new course whereby countries in the region can stick to an agenda that maintains a strict separation between geo-economics and geo-political and/or ideological rivalries including those around Sunni & Shia faiths and organisations like Muslim Brotherhood. Therefore, while China signed a multi-billion dollar deal with Iran that includes development projects and enhanced oil production and supplies, China’s growing ties with Saudi Arabia, too, include an increasing Saudi desire to enhance Saudi supply of oil to China and secure Chinese investment in fields ranging from petrochemical, nuclear energy and other energy fields, further expanding it into new fields such as 5G, telecommunication and digital technologies. Saudi Arabia, MBS affirmed, is also willing to make joint efforts with China to push forward the free trade negotiations between China and Gulf countries.