On March 27, China and Iran signed a strategic agreement dedicated to increasing cooperation between the two nations for the next 25 years. Both governments haven’t released details about the deal. However, in the course of this period, Chinese investments in Iran in fields such as banking, telecommunications, infrastructures, healthcare, and information technology may reach $500 to $800 billion.
Iran and China’s desire to integrate a synergic intracontinental partnership does not come as a surprise as talks have been in place for many years. But from a geopolitical stance, the timing of the signing of the deal has initiated a lot of speculations.
The ceremony of the signing documents comes one hundred days after the inauguration of President Biden, who had announced a reconfiguration of America’s relations with China and Iran.
What are the implications of the China-Iran deal?
China and Iran are using this deal to reinforce their place and role in the Middle East and Western Asia.
In China’s chessboard, each piece is a strategic element for the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Announced in 2013 by President Xi Jinping and released in 2015, the New Silk Road is a trade network and connectivity initiative that mainly relies on infrastructure investments.
The global super-power that China strives to become in the 21st century has molded maritime and land routes that crosses three continents and 68 countries, redefining global trade. Iran is unavoidable in China’s interest in the West Asian sub-region.
The deal with Iran fits perfectly in China’s New Silk Road. “This deal is fine within the context of China’s global ambitions,” explains Roromme Chantal, political science professor at Moncton University and scholar in the Network for Strategic Analysis. “And part of this initiative involves many countries in the Arab world. So a deal with Iran is important.”
From Iran’s perspective, the sanctions imposed by the United States have seriously suffocated their long-term economic aspirations and increased their geopolitical challenges.
Despite its challenges, Iran has exploited the dynamics in the Middle East and Western Asia to establish itself as a key player. Iran’s use of this influence in the relations with China is highly likely, according to Chantal. “We all know Iran’s influence in many countries in the Arab world, Lebanon and Syria, among others. So that means that China can capitalize on Iran’s influence in those different countries.”
This strategic agreement also represents significant leverage for Iran when it comes to its nuclear deal. Closer ties with China may strengthen Iran’s demands or allow them to refuse to go back to the negotiation table.
Iran isn’t only receiving financial support but is also receiving geopolitical backing from China. According to Dr. Daniel Ahadi, professor of communication at Simon Fraser University, “It’s part of Iran’s geopolitical strategy, in the long term, to align itself with countries like China, as it has done in the past with Russia.”
With its increasing role in the Middle East and as one of the five countries in the Iran nuclear deal, China has put itself in a place where the US has to consider them when making decisions in the Middle East.
Is China moving towards the Astana Alliance?
In his latest book, Gilles Kepel, the French political scientist and specialist of the Muslim world, talks about Astana against Abraham.
The Astana Alliance was formed during the tripartite negotiations on Syria. It comprises Turkey, Russia, and Iran. While the Abraham Alliance was formed during the Trump presidency, in 2020. The alliance gathers the United States, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman. Saudi Arabia is not formally part of this alliance but is assumed to be backing the alliance.
These two poles of alliances each gather countries with similar interests and common enemies.
“As far as the Astana Alliance is concerned, China doesn’t seem to be part of this alliance directly,” Chantal explains. “But having said that, what we’ve been witnessing since 2013, after Russian intervention in Crimea, is coordination in diplomatic efforts between Beijing and Moscow. We also know that Russia is the leading power in the Astana Alliance.”
China’s deal with Iran and China’s diplomatic proximity with Russia all indicate strong interest in the Astana Alliance.
Iran and the Uyghurs
Iran’s deal with China has put the Iranian government in a position where they can’t criticize the treatment of the Uyghur people in China.
In recent years, the Chinese government has faced significant criticism from the international community regarding the systematic oppression of the Uyghur people.
In 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee reported that approximately one million people were detained in counter-extremism centres in the Xinjiang region. And according to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, China is committing “genocide and crimes against humanity.”
In the face of these accusations against China, the most prominent Muslim countries in the world, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey have remained silent. “China is a vital trading partner for these two countries, and they want to keep it that way. China’s involvement and investments in these countries will allow the Chinese government to escape criticism,” notes Chantal. “We can perhaps expect the same scenario with Iran.”
Further details about the deal and its impact should be revealed in the upcoming months and clarify both countries’ positions.
China-Iran Strategic Agreement: How is Each Party Using This Deal to Reinforce Their Geopolitical Positions?
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On March 27, China and Iran signed a strategic agreement dedicated to increasing cooperation between the two nations for the next 25 years. Both governments haven’t released details about the deal. However, in the course of this period, Chinese investments in Iran in fields such as banking, telecommunications, infrastructures, healthcare, and information technology may reach $500 to $800 billion.
Iran and China’s desire to integrate a synergic intracontinental partnership does not come as a surprise as talks have been in place for many years. But from a geopolitical stance, the timing of the signing of the deal has initiated a lot of speculations.
The ceremony of the signing documents comes one hundred days after the inauguration of President Biden, who had announced a reconfiguration of America’s relations with China and Iran.
What are the implications of the China-Iran deal?
China and Iran are using this deal to reinforce their place and role in the Middle East and Western Asia.
In China’s chessboard, each piece is a strategic element for the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Announced in 2013 by President Xi Jinping and released in 2015, the New Silk Road is a trade network and connectivity initiative that mainly relies on infrastructure investments.
The global super-power that China strives to become in the 21st century has molded maritime and land routes that crosses three continents and 68 countries, redefining global trade. Iran is unavoidable in China’s interest in the West Asian sub-region.
The deal with Iran fits perfectly in China’s New Silk Road. “This deal is fine within the context of China’s global ambitions,” explains Roromme Chantal, political science professor at Moncton University and scholar in the Network for Strategic Analysis. “And part of this initiative involves many countries in the Arab world. So a deal with Iran is important.”
From Iran’s perspective, the sanctions imposed by the United States have seriously suffocated their long-term economic aspirations and increased their geopolitical challenges.
Despite its challenges, Iran has exploited the dynamics in the Middle East and Western Asia to establish itself as a key player. Iran’s use of this influence in the relations with China is highly likely, according to Chantal. “We all know Iran’s influence in many countries in the Arab world, Lebanon and Syria, among others. So that means that China can capitalize on Iran’s influence in those different countries.”
This strategic agreement also represents significant leverage for Iran when it comes to its nuclear deal. Closer ties with China may strengthen Iran’s demands or allow them to refuse to go back to the negotiation table.
Iran isn’t only receiving financial support but is also receiving geopolitical backing from China. According to Dr. Daniel Ahadi, professor of communication at Simon Fraser University, “It’s part of Iran’s geopolitical strategy, in the long term, to align itself with countries like China, as it has done in the past with Russia.”
With its increasing role in the Middle East and as one of the five countries in the Iran nuclear deal, China has put itself in a place where the US has to consider them when making decisions in the Middle East.
Is China moving towards the Astana Alliance?
In his latest book, Gilles Kepel, the French political scientist and specialist of the Muslim world, talks about Astana against Abraham.
The Astana Alliance was formed during the tripartite negotiations on Syria. It comprises Turkey, Russia, and Iran. While the Abraham Alliance was formed during the Trump presidency, in 2020. The alliance gathers the United States, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman. Saudi Arabia is not formally part of this alliance but is assumed to be backing the alliance.
These two poles of alliances each gather countries with similar interests and common enemies.
“As far as the Astana Alliance is concerned, China doesn’t seem to be part of this alliance directly,” Chantal explains. “But having said that, what we’ve been witnessing since 2013, after Russian intervention in Crimea, is coordination in diplomatic efforts between Beijing and Moscow. We also know that Russia is the leading power in the Astana Alliance.”
China’s deal with Iran and China’s diplomatic proximity with Russia all indicate strong interest in the Astana Alliance.
Iran and the Uyghurs
Iran’s deal with China has put the Iranian government in a position where they can’t criticize the treatment of the Uyghur people in China.
In recent years, the Chinese government has faced significant criticism from the international community regarding the systematic oppression of the Uyghur people.
In 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee reported that approximately one million people were detained in counter-extremism centres in the Xinjiang region. And according to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, China is committing “genocide and crimes against humanity.”
In the face of these accusations against China, the most prominent Muslim countries in the world, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey have remained silent. “China is a vital trading partner for these two countries, and they want to keep it that way. China’s involvement and investments in these countries will allow the Chinese government to escape criticism,” notes Chantal. “We can perhaps expect the same scenario with Iran.”
Further details about the deal and its impact should be revealed in the upcoming months and clarify both countries’ positions.
By Aida Kane
TAN
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