Category: 2022

EurasiaReview
China’s Modern Middle East Strategy: Strengthening Partnerships With
Iran And Syria – Analysis
By Dr. Mohamad Zreik
Feb. 15, 2022
The Middle East strategy of China is gradually progressing. Recently,
an official agreement between the governments of Iran and China
brought the 25-year comprehensive cooperation treaty into effect,
while Syria signed an understanding to join the Belt and Road
Initiative. Massive trade and investment initiatives have helped China
establish itself as a significant player in the Middle East.
Iran and Syria want to strengthen commercial and trade ties as the
Syrian conflict fade. The end of the conflict in Syria represents the
beginning of a new era of business connections between the two
nations.
Syria and China signed a memorandum of understanding to join the Belt
and Road Initiative. The “Five Seas Proposal”, which Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad first mentioned in 2009, mirrored China’s current Silk
Road project.
The Five Seas initiative connects the Mediterranean, Red, Persian,
Caspian, and Black Seas, attempting to unify all nations in the area.
With the notion of “Shamgen” articulated by President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, who was the Prime Minister at the time, but in the movement
known as the Arab Spring, it was shelved.
The Belt and Road initiative, which includes Iran, is now being
proposed for Syria. This action has various implications. Since Barack
Obama, the USA has been working to finalize Middle Eastern agreements
with China. However, China wants to incorporate the Middle East with
Belt and Road initiative.
A branch of China’s Silk Road, Tehran, Baghdad continues down the
Euphrates River via Al Bukemal, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Aleppo, and
Latakia. Thus, China may benefit from the land-accessible Latakia port
as a major logistical hub. The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative
strengthens the bonds of communication and cooperation between China
and Iran, all the way to Syria. Damascus was a historic Silk Road
station. The old inns are still standing. These inns are said to have
utilized the first bills/checks.
The second branch from Tehran goes to Damascus, then Beirut. That’s
why China sought money for the Beirut port following the great
explosion. By negotiating with Lebanon for the Beirut port, China will
have two ports opening to the Mediterranean, giving it a huge
advantage.
As a consequence of the deal, Syria vowed that it would not make
concessions to the West. Even after certain Arab nations
re-established ties with Syria and France appointed ambassador, Syria
continues to offend the West.
Russia and Iran are also unconcerned about Syria-China collaboration.
Despite the potential of a favourable conclusion in the discussions
over its nuclear activities, Iran is now doing as “the field needs”
and establishing deals with China that will bind it for a quarter of a
century and beyond. So, Russia, Syria, and Iran all meet in one area.
Except for vetoes, China was quiet throughout the Syrian conflict.
However, its worldwide rivalry with the USA may intensify, and the
Syria move coincided with the “moment when counter-measures should be
implemented.”
Russia has returned to the Middle East, and China will soon follow.
After years of anticipation, Syria has finally joined the Chinese Belt
and Road Initiative. Syria joined the initiative following a
memorandum of understanding signed by the Syrian Planning and
International Cooperation Authority head, Fadi Al-Khalil, and China’s
ambassador in Damascus, Feng Biao, after official statements and
mutual visits on the Beijing-Damascus line in recent years indicated
Syria’s imminent accession to the BRI.
On the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad has said that Syria may participate via infrastructure
development. “China is a great nation that is attempting to enhance
its influence in the globe, but not in a bad sense, but influence in
the sense of depending on friends… as it depends on partnership and
similar interests, instead of the hegemonic strategy followed by the
West,” Al-Assad remarked at the time.
Assad went on “Syria is on the Silk Road, and China regards us as
equals, not as a large nation with a minor. There are similar
interests… a benefit for China, Syria, and other nations on this path…
in the end, it benefits all nations. This implies greater global
stability.”
The Syrian offer, which contained six Chinese projects aligned with
the Belt and Road model, appears to have been well received in
Beijing, which ultimately chose to include Damascus in its effort.
There are a number of projects that may be implemented as part of this
initiative. These include rail links between Tartous and the Iraqi
border, highways connecting the country’s south to its north,
electricity generation, oil and gas exploration; as well as Chinese
free zones in Syria.
Currently, the “leaning towards the east policy” is being followed;
Damascus has announced this policy in response to what it perceives as
the participation of the United States and Western countries in the
war against Syria.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “leaning towards the east policy”
aligns with Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s Belt and Road Initiative.
Many compared the Chinese initiative to Syrian President’s “Five Seas”
project, referring to the Mediterranean, Caspian, Black, Arabian Gulf
and Red Seas.
China’s involvement in Syria has grown since 2018. In a statement
released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Ambassador Qi Qianjin
expressed his country’s desire to play a larger role in Syria’s
economic, political, and military affairs. During a hospital visit in
Damascus, the Chinese envoy remarked, “I believe it is time to focus
on Syria’s growth and rebuilding. I think China will further up its
support for the Syrian people and government.” Perhaps the recent $44
million in humanitarian aid to Syria bolster the Chinese ambassador’s
claims.
In an August 2019 letter, the Chinese ambassador emphasized the
development of Syrian railroads and ports; after promising $20 billion
to Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Jordan for rehabilitation and economic
growth.
The Belt and Road Initiative was announced by China in 2013 and
intends to link nations across the globe with a network of roads,
railroads, ports, oil pipelines, sea lanes, and telecommunications
networks.
The initiative has two parts: the Silk Road Economic Belt, which aims
to connect China with Europe through South Asia and Central Asia, and
the Maritime Silk Road, which aims to connect China with Europe via
Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The Syrian president recently declared that it has reached a formal
deal with China to join the Belt and Road initiative. This initiative
was initiated by China in 2013. It is a massive infrastructure project
that intends to enhance China’s commercial linkages.
According to the deal inked between China and Syria, railways,
international roads, power plants, and the expansion of Syrian ports
would all be funded by China, with Syria paying a substantial portion
of the expenditures over time.
The Chinese president vowed to contribute $20 billion in Syria,
Jordan, and Lebanon to restore infrastructure, with Syria’s part
estimated at $9 billion.
However, China would not compete with Russia for the port of Tartus,
but will strive to develop the port of Latakia via the same
corporation that is already expanding the port of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Sino-Iranian agreement
“The comprehensive cooperation pact between Iran and China (25 years)
has started the implementation phase,” said Iranian Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
Abdullahian met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, where
he is on a formal invitation, to discuss the current developments in
bilateral ties and economic cooperation.
In addition to supporting Iran’s nuclear rights and easing the
embargo, they discussed the current Vienna discussions on lifting the
embargo.
Although the contents of this strategic agreement, which is a plan for
long-term collaboration between the two nations, have not been
released, a consensus was obtained. This agreement will include
economic cooperation as a major component, which will need to be
signed and executed in the form of separate agreements between the two
nations.
In March 27, 2021, the two nations announced a “comprehensive
strategic partnership” in a joint statement. According to paragraph 6
of the statement, all parties are prepared to discuss and develop a
long-term cooperation pact. On April 27, Mohammad Javad Zarif and Wang
Yi, the Iranian and Chinese foreign ministers, signed this treaty.
In recent years, the two nations’ trade volume has been about $20
billion. Since 1995, Iran exported about $9 billion to China and
imported between $9 and $13 billion. China is a major provider of
electrical, audio-visual, chemical and industrial goods to Iran. Iran,
on the other hand, is one of China’s top oil suppliers, oil imports
before the sanctions amounted for around 6% of overall imports.
However, unofficial data shows that during the sanctions period, China
was the largest buyer of Iranian oil.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road are two trade
routes proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. This
initiative links China, Central Asia, Russia, and the Middle East to
Europe. The Maritime Silk Road links China to Southeast Asia and
Africa through the sea, and reaches over 60 Asian, European, and
African nations.
The project will encompass 30% of global GDP and 35% of global
commerce and has three key goals. The primary purpose is to free China
from the naval blockade and depend entirely on the Straits of Malacca.
More than 150 ships each day, predominantly Chinese and Japanese
tankers, sail through the strait.
China will turn to be the world’s leading economic power by exporting
technological and engineering products and services to other nations.
Iran is a major supplier of energy, raw materials such as iron ore,
and petrochemical crude products to China, making it a major priority
in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Minister of Economy declared that the 25-year deal between Iran
and China is nearing completion. China announced $400 billion in Iran,
with $280 billion going to the oil and gas sector and $120 billion to
transportation.
Currently, the government has about 100,000 unfinished economic and
development projects, which need a thousand billion tomans
(1,000,000,000,000,000,000 Tomans) of credit to complete. In addition
to continuing to purchase Iranian oil, the Chinese are helping to
build big oil and gas reserves and modernize Iran’s refineries.
Most notable oil and gas projects where Chinese involvement is
feasible are Phase 11 of South Pars, North Pars gas field development,
Azadegan and Yadavaran oil field development and repair of ancient
domestic refineries like as Abadan and Tehran refineries. The
country’s other energy initiatives include developing sustainable
energy and renovating aging power facilities. Promoting banking,
financial and insurance cooperation, creating Iranian bank branches,
and forming an Iran-China joint bank are feasible banking and
financial collaboration.
Construction of railways in various parts of the country,
electrification of railways such as the Tehran-Mashhad railway,
development of metro networks in major Iranian cities, participation
in the development of Makran beaches, development of Iranian ports
such as Chabahar port, and completion of domestic and international
highways and freeways in Iran are all part of the 25-year agreement.
In recent months, news of Chinese involvement in the form of
industrialization of housing building for the National Housing
Movement and the construction of four million housing units in four
years. Other probable 25-year areas of collaboration include
telecommunications, science-technology, education, health, and
tourism.
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About author:
Dr. Mohamad Zreik has PhD of International Relations, he is
independent researcher, his area of research interest is related to
Chinese Foreign Policy, Belt and Road Initiative, Middle Eastern
Studies, China-Arab relations. Author has numerous studies published
in high ranked journals and international newspapers.