Deals between China and Saudi, Morocco; Hong Kong delegation in the Gulf; PRC official to Muscat; Chinese scholars on Trump visit to the Gulf; op-ed on US sanctions on Iran
It’s final exam week and Trump in the Gulf week, so a double whammy. I’m swamped with on-campus responsibilities this week so rather than commentary, here are some of the stories that I’ve seen over the past couple of days. Hopefully I’ll have time to write something later in the week.
Time to terminate illegal unilateral sanctions on Iran - China Daily. This op-ed gives us the ‘official position’ so it’s worth a quick read.
As any other country, Iran has an inalienable lawful right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy under the nonproliferation treaty. Having shown Iran is fully prepared to continue its diplomatic engagement to ensure the already demonstrated peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the US should terminate its unilateral sanctions that have long been imposed on the Iranian people making their life difficult for decades.
Teheran has enough reasons to blame the US for weaponizing sanctions against Iran. The Iran nuclear issue has provided Washington with the leverage to contain the development of the Islamic republic, an archrival of the US' regional ally, Israel, to meet its own narrow ends.
China, Saudi Arabia see increasing agricultural cooperation with more contracts signed - Global Times.
China and Saudi Arabia are increasing their agricultural cooperation, as contracts signed at a forum on Tuesday in Beijing exceeded $4 billion, showing the vast cooperation potential between the two countries.
The contracts were announced at a sustainable development forum held by the Beijing Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), which attracted more than 60 Saudi companies.
Lee in Qatar to boost economic ties, attract investment - China Daily. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, was in the Gulf this week, first in Qatar and then in Kuwait. He led a large delegation, looking to drum up trade and investment opportunities mostly. Hong Kong is worth watching as a potential point of entry into markets in the mainland; its legal system is different from the PRC, based on common law, and is therefore seen as potentially easier or safer for foreign investors, especially from the Gulf. There has been momentum in this space, although I don’t think the results have been apparent yet. Something I’ll be looking into now that the semester is winding down and I have more time to focus on other stuff.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu begins a busy round of meetings in Doha today with Qatari officials after arriving on Saturday night with a 50-strong delegation, comprised of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland entrepreneurs, to explore business opportunities and attract investment.
In a social media post late on Saturday evening on arrival in the Qatari capital, Lee said he looks forward to creating new opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises, attracting Middle Eastern investment to the special administrative region and promoting the alignment of local industries, such as finance with Middle Eastern markets.
The Hong Kong delegation is in Qatar on the first stop of a six-day visit that will also take in Kuwait. It’s Lee’s second trip to the Middle East since taking office.
The chief executive said the SAR will sign multiple memoranda of understanding with Qatar and Kuwait, covering trade, aviation, research, legal services and education.
Hong Kong leader John Lee begins trade and investment push in Kuwait - South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong’s leader has touted the city’s ambitions to sign a free-trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and invited Kuwait to set up an office of its investment authority in the financial hub.
Leading a 50-strong delegation of business leaders and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and mainland China, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that Kuwait had significant potential for enhanced cooperation with the city.
Morocco Strengthens Role as Africa Gateway in New Chinese Investment Push - Morocco World News.
Moroccan and Chinese companies signed two significant partnership agreements on Friday in Rabat during a meeting between Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, and a Chinese delegation led by Ye Jianchun, Governor of Jiangxi Province.
The first agreement, signed by Morocco’s Cooper Pharma and China’s Jemincare Pharmaceutical Group, aims to develop innovative therapeutic solutions, enhance industrial capabilities, and promote technology exchange. The initiative supports Morocco’s strategy to boost local pharmaceutical production and strengthen national health sovereignty.
The second partnership involves Bank of Africa and Jiangxi Geo-engineering Investment Group. The agreement reflects China’s growing interest in the Moroccan market and highlights a shared ambition to position the kingdom as a strategic gateway for investment across Africa.
Sayyid Fahd receives Chinese official - Muscat Daily. Another example of ties expanding at different levels of government:
H H Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Council of Ministers, received Xiao Jie, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, and his accompanying delegation on Monday.
The guest conveyed greetings and best wishes of the leadership in China to the leadership in Oman and the Omani people.
H H Sayyid Fahd emphasised the deep-rooted relations between the two countries, which continue to witness significant development, reflecting both sides’ commitment to advancing the interests of their peoples.
The meeting explored ways to enhance economic and trade cooperation, including encouraging more joint investment projects in renewable energy. The meeting also addressed regional and international developments.
Xiao expressed his pleasure at the visit, which contributes to elevating cooperation between the two nations across various fields. He affirmed China’s appreciation for Oman’s efforts in strengthening friendly relations with countries worldwide. He also praised the constructive discussions held with the Chairman of the State Council and Omani officials, noting their positive impact on advancing Omani-Chinese relations.
China’s rising Mideast engagement looms as Trump seeks investment, security deals - South China Morning Post. A speculative piece on the Trump visit, featuring comments from Sun Degang (Fudan University) and Fan Hongda (Shanghai International Studies University), two of China’s top Middle East scholars. The article itself doesn’t have much to say, but it’s always worth reading Sun and Fan.
Both experts downplayed concerns that Trump’s visit might reduce Gulf state engagement with China, since they had been pursuing a diplomatic diversification strategy.
Sun said the Gulf States were hedging their bets by engaging with China, a “crucial alternative to circumvent the overarching dominance of US influence” while advancing a quest for greater strategic autonomy.
“Taking Riyadh as an example, China remains a lucrative market essential for its economic transformation from an oil-based economy to a well-diversified investment and manufacturing-driven one,” Fan said.