A lot on EVs today.
Chinese electric car company Nio to enter Middle East this year amid global expansion by peers - CNBC. Nio is following BYD in using the UAE as an entry point into the Middle East market. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, there’s a tremendous surge in Chinese EVs here in the UAE as elsewhere in the Middle East.
Qatar’s transport minister discusses partnership with Chinese electric transport company - Gulf News:
The meeting, which took place in Zhengzhou, focused on strengthening cooperation and expanding their relationship, particularly in the realm of eco-friendly and autonomous public transportation technologies.
Discussions also covered the strategic partnership to establish an e-bus manufacturing facility in Qatar's free zones, as well as mutual investment opportunities between Yutong and Mowasalat (Karwa), a transportation service provider in Qatar.
Chinese company to build Morocco's first $1.3 billion EV battery gigafactory - Business Insider Africa. I didn’t realize that Morocco is considered Africa’s automobile manufacturing hub. Interesting. This article has Gotion High Tech building a gigafactory with an initial battery capacity of 20 gigawatts per hour, with “plans to increase the plant's capacity to 100 GWh, with eventual investment reaching $6.5 billion.” Don’t start counting those billions yet. This follows a flurry of related recent deals:
In May, Chinese auto battery manufacturers Hailiang and Shinzoom announced plans to set up two separate plants near Tangier, producing key EV battery components: copper and anodes, respectively.
A month earlier, the Moroccan government approved Chinese electric battery maker BTR New Material Group to build a factory near Tangier to produce key component cathodes.
Another Chinese manufacturer, CNGR Advanced Material, is expected to build a cathode plant in Jorf Lasfar, 100 km (62 miles) south of Casablanca, where the government has allocated 283 hectares to electric battery industries.
2. Post-CASCF news: the strategic partnership with Tunisia and views from Israel.
Chinese and Tunisian leaders' strong desire to strengthen cooperation will "translate into all fields" - Agence Tunis Afrique Press. As I wrote last week, there’s been very, very little on China-Tunisia over the time I’ve been tracking China in the Middle East, so this strategic partnership is starting from a low level. PRC ambassador to Tunisia Wan Li hit the usual notes: “the two countries agreed to push global governance in a fairer and more equitable direction, noting that the Chinese leadership stressed that the countries of the South must work together to support genuine multilateralism and multipolarity and crystallise a fairer and more tolerant globalisation.” More interesting is the set of priorities outlined. The Chinese side emphasized infrastructure, energy, health, green development and agriculture, while the Tunisians focused on national development, health, transport, education and agriculture. So that gives you a sense of what to look for as they start building up the bilateral.
Summit of China and Arab countries in Beijing - Ori Sela for INSS. An Israeli perspective on the CASCF. The conclusion:
It’s important that Israel strengthens its relations with the United States, presents and initiates policy alternatives that will support its integration in the region and promote an American-led regional security architecture against the threats from Iran. Given the Chinese confrontational position at this time, Israel should refrain from indirectly helping to promote alternatives that will work to its detriment, such as peace conferences and mediation efforts sponsored by China, which will not be in Israel’s favor.
For China-Israel ties, the 'honeymoon is certainly over', policy expert says - South China Morning Post. Another view from INSS, this time from Assaf Orion, who is the director of its director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Israel-China Policy Centre. Lots of interesting quotes in here, including this on whether China can be a useful mediator in the Israel-Palestine conflict:
And without clear positions on crucial and sensitive issues, Beijing cannot serve as a real mediator, he added.
"This is not something that you just step in, out of the blue, without deep knowledge of the problem ... without putting skin in the game, without having a sway on the players.
"And friendship alone or being able to open channels alone are not enough. There's a real heavy lifting to be done here," Orion said.
"I don't think China has the knowledge to go into the core issues: Jerusalem, borders, refugees," he said. "Sitting in a plenary and talking about peace is nice, but when you really need to carry the water, I don't think China is there."
And this on his view of a potential role for China:
"Still, as there [is] evident need for reconstruction and infrastructure as part of peace efforts, China clearly has relevant capabilities, and could apply them, advancing stabilisation through development," he said.
"However, this will be only possible through good cooperation and coordination with the US, which currently seem out of reach."
For more on this, check out this post from Tuvia Gering’s newsletter, Discourse Power. He was part of an Israeli delegation that was recently in China, and he writes here about his reflections on the trip.
Contracting for KSA.
China’s Sinopec to Build Gas Pipelines for Saudi Aramco in $1-Billion Deal - Oilprice. “A subsidiary of China’s energy giant Sinopec has signed a $1.3-billion deal with Saudi Aramco to procure and build pipelines for an expansion of the Kingdom’s natural gas distribution network.”