Here’s an interesting New York Times editorial by Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett. I had dinner with Hillary in Washington earlier this month, and the topic of China’s relations with Iran was raised. I agree with the editorial that an Obama administration proposal for Saudi Arabia to replace China’s oil imports from Iran is [...]
Gallery Archive
China’s oil troubles in the Middle East
I heard two interesting oil stories from last week’s US visit. First, Libya has rejected a $417 million bid by China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) for Verenex, a Canadian oil-exploration company with Libyan oil leases. Libya’s national company has since purchased Verenex at 30% less than CNPC’s offer price. I’m not sure if Libya’s response [...]
Time To Rethink Policy
I am in the U.S. this week, speaking at the State Department, Columbia University and CSIS. I intend to use the opportunity to test drive one of my favourite themes. In a globalized world it is time to view China and the Middle East as part of the same policy challenge, rather than two distinct [...]
Quality control problems in Saudi Arabia
China might have overtaken the United States as the world’s largest exporter to the Middle East. But it still has quality issues. Two separate articles highlight the concerns. Al Aswaq Al Arabiya is reporting that cheap Chinese goods are flooding the Saudi market to cause health and environmental concerns. The article largely lays the blame [...]
The Silent Crisis
It is easy to feel giddy about the rise of the Silk Road. But the outcome is far from guaranteed. One threat in particular might yet bring the region to its knees. Water. There is no escaping the Silk Road’s water shortages. The region is one of the driest parts of the planet. Yet, water [...]
Silk Road cartoons
I’ve posted some cartoons drawn by a friend in China. She is an Arabic speaker, passionate about the Middle East, and now works for the Chinese government trying to attract Arab investors to a major coastal city. Her cartoons are delightful and capture the cultural engagement between China and the Middle East. The set below [...]
“China cheat sheet helps investors survive”, Bloomberg, September 1, 2010
“No more silver bullets for Beijing”, Wall Street Journal, June 17, 2010
“China’s historic return to the Gulf”, Foreign Policy, April 2, 2010
