Chinese commentary on regional tensions, RAK delegation in Hong Kong, Tencent cloud for MENA, Brookings on China-Iran
Any military adventurism would only push the region into an unpredictable abyss: Chinese envoy to UN on escalating tension as US threats Iran with military strike - Global Times. The GT featuring comments from Fu Cong on US threats to Iran:
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, noted that the current situation in Iran has drawn widespread attention, with the Middle East shrouded in the specter of war and tensions continuing to rise.
Iran is an independent and sovereign country, and its affairs should be decided by the Iranian people themselves. China hopes for and supports Iran in maintaining national stability, and supports the safeguarding of Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Force cannot solve problems, and any military adventurism would only push the region into an unpredictable abyss, he said.
China calls on all parties to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and opposes the use or threat of force in international relations, Fu said.
China hopes that the US and other relevant parties will heed the calls of the international community and regional countries, do more to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, and avoid escalating tensions or fanning the flames, the Chinese envoy added.
Military adventurism risky Middle East bet: China Daily editorial - China Daily. A predictable op-ed from China Daily, positioning China in a predictable way. Honestly, I appreciate predictability these days.
The path to peace in the region is to resolve the Palestinian question with the two-state solution, respect the sovereignty and choices of regional countries and adhere to the principle of resolving differences through political dialogue and consultation. Opposing external interference while promoting development and stability is essential to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the regional problems.
In the process, the UN should play a leading role in monitoring the ceasefire, providing humanitarian assistance and overseeing the postwar arrangements and other issues, so as to prevent “small circles” or “camp confrontation”.
Ras Al Khaimah turns to Hong Kong to promote landmark UAE resort - South China Morning Post. I’ve posted at different points over the past 18 months or so about delegations from different emirates in the UAE looking to drum up business in China. Ras Al Khaimah has been particularly active, with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi making two high-profile trips to China in the autumn of 2024. The first, in September, was a 3-day 3-city trip, going to Xiamen, Dongguan, and Shenzhen. The second was in November to Guangdong for a 4-day visit. With a casino set to open in 2027 on the new Wynn Al Marjan Island resort - only 50km from Dubai’s airport - you can expect a lot more traffic between RAK and China.
A trade delegation from Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is visiting Hong Kong to promote its first integrated resort, describing the city as a key gateway to Asia and China.
The high-level three-day mission in Hong Kong this week aimed to raise RAK’s profile and attract regional investment.
During the visit, the delegation met local officials and business representatives to promote the emirate and its landmark resort development – the UAE’s first casino project – to be operated under the brand of Hong Kong-listed Wynn Resorts.
If you’re looking for more on China in the northern emirates of the UAE, check out this piece from last summer, written by Sun Minhao for Singapore’s Middle East Institute: Northern Emirates Emerge as New Bridges in China-UAE Economic Ties
Chinese tech giant Tencent plots Middle East cloud expansion as spending in the region booms - CNBC.
Dowson Tong, CEO of Tencent’s cloud group, told CNBC that the company plans to expand the number of “availability zones,” locations designated as sites for potential clusters of data centers, for its cloud services over the next 12 to 18 months, in countries across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East.
In the Middle East, Tencent is “actively” exploring building data centers there to service cloud customers, Dowson added.
“We do intend to increase our investment in the region and establish a stronger partnership network. And that’s all in the plan,” he said, declining to give more specific timelines or countries where exactly the availability zones might be.
How is China positioning itself as Iran’s regime teeters? - Brookings. Those who have been following closely won’t find much new in here, but Brookings gets a lot of eyeballs, presumably, so it’s good to see a high-profile piece reinforcing the point that China-Iran specialists have been making for years - that Iran is a ‘mid-tier partner for China’.
If Iran’s regime eventually falls, China’s leaders could grow more concerned about the aftershocks inside China than outside of it. As the Arab Spring and other events have shown, China’s leaders are deeply sensitive to images of popular protests leading to regime collapse, even more so when the United States is perceived to play a role.
Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Fu Cong on the UN Security Council Draft Resolution Extending the Mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement - PRC Mission to the UN.
President,
China abstained in the vote just taken on the draft resolution, and I wish to make the following explanation.
In December 2018, in order to support and assist the implementation of the Hudaydah Agreement, the Security Council authorized the establishment of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA). Over the past seven years, the Mission has maintained communication with the parties to the conflict, actively monitored the ceasefire, and carried out livelihood and humanitarian activities, making contributions to maintaining stability in Hudaydah and its surrounding areas and preventing an escalation of the conflict.
At present, the situation in Yemen remains complex, and the ground situation in Hudaydah is tense, with the risk of renewed conflict persisting. China takes a cautious view of the proposal to withdraw UNMHA. We believe that, in considering the future arrangements for the Mission, the Security Council should fully take into account the situation on the ground in Hudaydah, carefully manage the pace, and avoid a hasty withdrawal that could impact the fragile situation or even trigger new conflict. During consultations, a number of Council members also expressed concerns regarding the requirement in the draft resolution for UNMHA to withdraw within two months. In light of this, and taking into account the positions of the country concerned and relevant regional countries, China had no choice but to abstain on the draft resolution.
President,
While UNMHA is set to withdraw, its core tasks related to the Hudaydah Agreement, including monitoring the ceasefire and engaging with the parties to the conflict, will not come to an end, and will be taken up by the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen. China looks forward to the Secretary-General, in accordance with the requirements of the resolution and on the basis of fully hearing the views of all Yemeni parties, formulating feasible arrangements regarding the withdrawal of UNMHA personnel and the liquidation of assets, so as to ensure a safe and orderly withdrawal of the Mission. We hope that the Special Envoy for Yemen and his Office will strengthen communication and coordination with UNMHA, properly handle the handover of the Mission’s remaining functions, and ensure a smooth transition. We call upon the parties to the Hudaydah Agreement to earnestly fulfill their obligations under the Agreement and jointly safeguard security and stability in Hudaydah and its surrounding areas.
Thank you, President.