China: New Middle East Strategy

• 01.25.2016, 12:16
• Arpine Hovsepyan
•  Near East,  Asia,  World

AP

Chinese President Xi Jinping completed his two-day official visit to Iran. It was the last stop of his Middle Eastern tour, which began on January 19. Xi Jinping has already visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt. China’s goal is energy and security.

According to Reuters, the two countries agreed to increase bilateral trade more than 10-fold to $600 billion in the next decade. "Iran and China have agreed on forming strategic relations (as) reflected in a 25-year comprehensive document," President Hassan Rouhani said at a news conference with Xi broadcast live on state television. Iran and China signed 17 accords on Saturday, including on cooperation in nuclear energy and a revival of the ancient Silk Road trade route.

It should be noted that the energy is one of the main elements in Iran-China relationship. China buys about 40% of the Iranian exported oil. More than 100 Chinese companies have representation in Iran.

Taking into consideration the fact that Xi Jinping is the first international leader to visit Iran after the lifting of Western sanctions, experts say he aims to raise the bilateral relations to a new level, leaving behind potential competitors.

Chinese President has already held very productive meetings in two other key countries in the Middle East. During the meeting with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi two leaders announced about the establishment of a strong strategic partnership. As a result of the implementation of agreements, signed in energy, industrial, commercial, banking and other sectors, the total investment volume in the Egyptian economy by China will reach over 15 billion US dollars.

It should be noted that a day before the Chinese President’s Middle Eastern tour the country’s government for the first time in its history published a document on strategic relations with the Arab world. Basically, China expressed its readiness to comprehensively strengthen its relations with Arab states.

China’s such activity has become the reason for some Western analysts to say that China tries to replace the United States in the Middle East, fill the political vacuum in the region. In reality it is more realistic that the Middle Eastern region has strategic importance for China because of its energy resources. Thus, China is greatly interested in stability in this region, and all its moves are aimed at this objective.