Posted on 05/10/2018 7:19:53 PM PDT by mrsmith
...this time round, rejecting and violating U.S. sanctions may prove for China as well as the other signatories to be a trickier undertaking. Last time round, China and the other signatories were part of an international consensus that aimed to force Iran to accept restrictions on its nuclear program even if they at times circumvented the sanctions.
China and other signatories are in the wake of the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions likely to be operating in a far more confrontational environment in which the subtext of Mr. Trump’s decision as well the positions of Saudi Arabia and Israel appears to be a policy that seeks to achieve regime change in Tehran...
(Excerpt) Read more at theglobalist.com ...
Another article there on the subject:
https://www.theglobalist.com/middle-east-china-russia-syria-oil/
“...These shifts first emerged in 2015 when Chinese oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose a mere 2%, while purchases of Russian oil jumped almost 30%. Since then, Russia rather than Saudi Arabia has turned into China’s biggest crude oil supplier...
At the same time, China in 2016 became the largest investor in the Arab world with investments worth $29.5 billion. Much of that money was targeted on the infrastructure sector, including the construction of industrial parks, pipelines, ports and roads.
At the same time as it has been turning to Russia for energy imports, and despite general support for Russian policy in the Middle East, Beijing increasingly fears that Moscow’s approach risks escalating conflicts and has complicated China’s ability to safeguard its mushrooming interests in the region...”
IMO any article on the Mid East’s future that doesn’t mention China is pretty much useless.
They keep using the term signatories as if it were a treaty.
There were no signatures.
It was an agreement, informal, among Iran, security member nations, Germany and EU to adhere to certain policies.
It wasn’t a treaty for America, and had no legal force. Not sure about other countries.
“Leveraging its experience, an effort by China together with Russia and Europe that keeps the Iranian nuclear deal in place and thwarts U.S. sanctions would deliver one of the heaviest body blows to U.S. credibility and perceptions of U.S. power since Mr. Trump came to office in January of last year.”
A test that Obama just conceded.
China has its own leverage problems with the US, as do the Euros. The bottom line is that President Trump can take a lot away from them, because prior administrations have been giving away the store for so long.
Just in the last few weeks, the major Chinese electronics manufacturer (ZTE) was hit with seven years of crushing penalties (which may put them out of business) - by thee USA, for violation sanctions on Iran.
A little pre-emptive behavior modification, perhaps.
Don’t let them get away with that.
alex; @africaken1 · 2h2 hours ago
alex Retweeted OedoSoldier
china People’s Liberation Army ,during exercises in Djibouti
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DdMwFRDU8AA9zBt.jpg
https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2017/07/gold-dunes-many-countries-craving-syrian-badia/
“The attack on the Badia was started by the Assad forces and Iranian militias with Russian air support in an Iranian attempt to open a land crossing from Tehran to the Syrian coast through Iraq and the Badia aiming at finding a transportation route for its gas and crude oil products.
In July 2011, Iran signed an agreement with the Syrian regime and Iraq to construct a pipeline that crosses both countries to reach the Mediterranean Sea and then Europe and carry 110 million cubic meters of gas per day.
Iran is also trying to realize its dream of becoming an economic hub that connects East Asia to Europe and Africa by land lines through the Iran “Silk Road” Project, which was introduced by former President Hashemi Rafsanjani in the late 1980s and reintroduced in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping who had the dream of Linking his country with Europe and Africa in a network of roads, one of which passes from Iran to Iraq and Syria, a project that was hailed by Tehran.
More on China in africa:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/27/china-increases-defence-ties-with-africa.html
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1767965/1-china-agrees-give-2b-loan-pakistan/
China agrees to give $2b loan to Pakistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1767965/1-china-agrees-give-2b-loan-pakistan/
China agrees to give $2b loan to Pakistan
Probably worth it’s own thread.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/29/sri-lanka-crisis-turns-violent-as-one-killed-at-ex-ministers-office.html
“.A political crisis in Sri Lanka took a deadly turn on Sunday, with one person killed when a sacked cabinet minister tried to re-enter his office, days after the president removed the prime minister and installed a powerful ally of China in his place....
..The standoff has important geopolitical implications in a country long influenced by its neighbor India, and which became massively indebted to China to finance huge infrastructure projects during Rajapaksa’s decade as president....
This is an international conspiracy,” Ramanayake told reporters at Wickremesinghe’s official residence, accusing China of “spending money to buy over members”.”
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