A quick one today - I’ve been in meetings all week and haven’t had time to post much, and next week is Canada Day, family visits, and then conference travel so posting will likely be light then as well. All of which is fine as there hasn’t been a lot of news on the China-MENA beat since the burst from the CASCF last month. The big story has been a two-week security seminar in Beijing that kicked off last week. Saudi Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman traveled to China; this appears to be the purpose. As always, a comparative perspective helps when you react to these stories. The PRC-KSA military cooperation might be on a ‘fast track’, but that’s measured against what it’s always been in terms of security relations - minimal. They are talking, and that’s normal given the depth of their economic and energy cooperation, but there is no scenario in the near/mid-term where China is a major security partner for Saudi Arabia or its neighbours. I’d keep in mind the fact that the Kingdom is still negotiating a deeper commitment with the US through the proposed normalization with Israel. This is a more substantial story to be tracking right now.
And really, the bass line for all of these meetings is the very public expulsion this week of two former Chinese Ministers of Defense for corruption. Charges will be brought against Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu for offenses that were “extremely serious, the impact was extremely egregious, and the damage was particularly immense,” according to Xinhua. This isn’t just a case of two corrupt high-ranking officials; corruption is endemic in the PLA. When you think of China’s military power, you have to keep this in mind.
China, Arab military officers hold seminars on ‘deeper’ cooperation - Middle East Monitor. Details from Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian:
The “Future-oriented China-Arab Security Cooperation” course at Chinese National Defence University which is hosted by the International College of Defence Studies of the People’s Liberation Army began 18 June.
Wu said participants are being given seminars on China’s foreign policy and China-Arab relations in the new era, China-Arab security cooperation and China’s Global Security Initiative.
“The Chinese military is ready to work alongside militaries of Arab nations to deliver on the Global Security Initiative, deepen strategic mutual trust … so as to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era,” Wu added.
China, Saudi military cooperation on ‘fast track’ as top defence officials meet - South China Morning Post. Not a lot of details in this, which is telling in itself. The military-to-military cooperation hasn’t been especially significant. There were joint counter-terrorism exercises in China in 2016 and joint naval drills in 2019 and 2023. Not much in the way of arms sales yet. Again, the ‘fast track’ isn’t that fast yet.
According to the Chinese defence ministry, Zhang told Salman that “China values its traditional friendship with Saudi Arabia” and said relations between their armies were on a “fast track”.
Cooperation in “army exchanges, personnel training and joint exercises and drills” had been “fruitful”, Zhang said, adding that “China is open to cooperation with the Saudi military”.
China’s Communist Party Expels Two Former Defense Ministers - Wall Street Journal.
Do you not see a deeper China KSA military coop in the horizon under with the possible failure of US KSA security deal considering current events?