Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with the Turkish Research Center of Shanghai University
土耳其前总统阿卜杜拉·居尔会见上海大学土耳其研究中心人员
2017-05-30 上大土耳其研究中心
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yaZU5UGR-n5EeN9jRNmDPQ
2017年5月27日至29日，土耳其第11届总统（2007-2014）阿卜杜拉·居尔应邀出席“上海论坛2017”，期间亲切会见了上海大学土耳其研究中心人员。中心主任郭长刚教授向居尔先生介绍了上海大学土耳其研究中心的创建初衷、发展现状和未来展望，同时回顾了上海大学与土耳其众多高校和科研机构之间所开展的密切交流与合作。
2017-05-30 上大土耳其研究中心
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yaZU5UGR-n5EeN9jRNmDPQ
2017年5月27日至29日，土耳其第11届总统（2007-2014）阿卜杜拉·居尔应邀出席“上海论坛2017”，期间亲切会见了上海大学土耳其研究中心人员。中心主任郭长刚教授向居尔先生介绍了上海大学土耳其研究中心的创建初衷、发展现状和未来展望，同时回顾了上海大学与土耳其众多高校和科研机构之间所开展的密切交流与合作。
居尔先生表示很高兴看到上海大学土耳其研究中心已经具备了一支人员结构合理、研究领域多元的科研队伍，并对中心能在较短时间内就取得突出的科研成果和社会影响力表示祝贺。他希望土耳其研究中心能够进一步加强与土耳其相关机构的合作，对土耳其的政治、经济、文化和历史有更全面、更精深的研究，为中土关系的蓬勃发展贡献力量。随后，居尔先生向中心研究人员介绍了土耳其独立的外交政策战略、土耳其与欧盟关系的发展、以及中土关系的未来等。
上海大学土耳其研究中心自2012年成立以来各方面都取得了长足进步，获得国家社科基金重点项目立项，承担“十二五”国家重点图书出版规划项目，同时出版和发表了大量的专著、译著和学术论文、报刊评论等。同时，中心还特别重视智库建设，获得了国内外媒体的大量关注，提高了本中心和上海大学的美誉度。
Sunday, May 28, 2017
土前总统:应用人民币进行贸易
新浪财经讯 由复旦大学和韩国高等教育财团共同主办的“上海论坛2017”于5月27日-29日在上海举行。土耳其第11届总统（2007-2014）阿卜杜拉·居尔出席并演讲。
阿卜杜拉·居尔表示，在第一次世界大战之后，人们对建立国际秩序的问题就进行了诸多的思考，直至第二次世界大战之后，联合国的出现标准着国际秩序的建立。但如今，随着经济发展，新兴经济体对现有国际秩序提出了新要求。
阿卜杜拉·居尔称，在塑造新国际秩序的过程当中，中国需要扮演重要角色。”新兴经济体或新兴国家绝对不能够放弃自己在塑造新的国际秩序当中应该扮演的重要角色“。他认为土耳其和中国为联合国2030年可持续发展目标的实现，贡献颇多。
”中国是非常重要的国际成员，无论在联合国还是在相关的合作组织当中，都扮演了非常重要的角色。对于土耳其来说，我们也希望能够和周边国家共同促进地区的稳定“
，其表示。
，其表示。
居尔认为，上海合作组织是一个可以促进亚洲和平发展的良好平台，土耳其已经成为了上海合作组织的观察员，更希望加入上海合作组织的相关和平倡议，尤其是在抵抗恐怖主义、防止气候变化等议题。“土耳其希望能够为上海合作组织做出更多工作”。
在居尔看来，上海合作组织是一体化的倡议者，并非为反对北约或西方而构建。“任何一个国家都不可能靠自己来解决所有问题，无论是在政治方面，还是经济方面的挑战，特别是我们现在还遇到了气候的问题，恐怖主义问题，网络安全问题等等”。
居尔建议，各国应加强合作，发挥各自的优势和能力，通过对话的方式，解决冲突。“我们必须开诚布公的开展全球合作，只有这样，才能更好的共同应对前所未有的挑战”。他还呼吁，各国政府必须坚定不移的推进全球化，而不是孤立主义。
“中国正在不断的开放当中，并积极推动全球以及地区性的合作，我相信中国的努力能够让其他国家和地区积极参与其中，把国际化的工作做的更好”。
聚焦中国与土耳其，2000年双边贸易仅10亿美元，而现在已经达到了280亿美元。中国已经成为土耳其第二大贸易合作伙伴，两国之间的投资也在不断发展。居尔建议，双方贸易可以采用人民币，一是可以降低贸易成本，二是土耳其也改善了储备货币。
第三届“处于战略十字路口的中东”国际研讨会在我院举行
2017年5月22-23日，第三届“处于战略十字路口的中东”国际学术研讨会在上海国际问题研究院举行，本届会议的主题为“地区秩序变革和‘一带一路’推进”。
上海国研院院长陈东晓和上海社科院副院长王振分别致辞，中国外交部西亚北非司崔巍参赞作主旨发言。
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
What the Gulf States Think of 'One Belt, One Road'
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Oman have mixed feelings about China’s ambitious project.
By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner
THE DIPLOMAT - May 24, 2017
The “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative is China’s ambitious vision for restructuring the global economy on Beijing’s terms. As the world’s largest planned economic corridor, OBOR encompasses 60 countries and links China to Europe through ports, highways, bridges, tunnels, communications grids, and rail links along two pathways that traverse several regions. The “Belt” (the “Silk Road Economic Belt”) stretches from Western China to Europe via Central Asia. The “Road” (the “21st century Maritime Silk Road”) links China to Europe via the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea.
Earlier this month, President Xi Jinping addressed the Silk Road Summit for International Cooperation in Beijing in pursuit of more international support for OBOR. Xi pledged an additional $124 billion in funding for OBOR, which will include assistance, grants, and loans to countries within the initiative. According to Chinese state media, OBOR has already received $1 trillion in investment and several more trillion will follow in the coming decade.
READ MORE...
By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner
THE DIPLOMAT - May 24, 2017
The “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative is China’s ambitious vision for restructuring the global economy on Beijing’s terms. As the world’s largest planned economic corridor, OBOR encompasses 60 countries and links China to Europe through ports, highways, bridges, tunnels, communications grids, and rail links along two pathways that traverse several regions. The “Belt” (the “Silk Road Economic Belt”) stretches from Western China to Europe via Central Asia. The “Road” (the “21st century Maritime Silk Road”) links China to Europe via the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea.
Earlier this month, President Xi Jinping addressed the Silk Road Summit for International Cooperation in Beijing in pursuit of more international support for OBOR. Xi pledged an additional $124 billion in funding for OBOR, which will include assistance, grants, and loans to countries within the initiative. According to Chinese state media, OBOR has already received $1 trillion in investment and several more trillion will follow in the coming decade.
READ MORE...
“处于战略十字路口的中东”国际研讨会召开 "At the strategic crossroads of the Middle East" international seminar held
2017年05月24日15:56 来源：人民网-国际频道
人民网上海5月24日电 第三届“处于战略十字路口的中东”国际学术研讨会22日至23日在上海国际问题研究院举行。研讨会主题为“地区秩序变革和‘一带一路’推进”。
研讨会由上海国际问题研究院主办，上海国际问题研究院西亚非洲研究中心承办，上海社会科学院“一带一路”信息研究中心协办。来自土耳其、伊朗、沙特阿拉伯、阿拉伯联合酋长国和摩洛哥等国家的学者，以及中国智库和高校的30多名专家学者等与会。上海国际问题研究院院长陈东晓和上海社会科学院副院长王振在研讨会上分别发表致辞。外交部西亚北非司参赞崔巍在研讨会上做主旨发言。
与会专家学者围绕“地区秩序变革”、“'一带一路'的推进”，以及“中国在中东地区的作用”等议题进行了热烈的研讨。
与会专家学者认为，中东地区秩序正在经历深刻变革，表现为以美国主导的单极体系向美俄两极体系过渡，而域外大国以反恐和人道主义为借口行权力竞争之实，是导致地区碎片化和阵营对立的重要原因，地区政治、经济和安全形势将面临继续恶化的风险。传统地区大国如土耳其、伊朗、沙特阿拉伯和埃及以及以色列在进行国内政治结构调整的同时，试图重塑各自与域外大国相互关系，这个过程将最终定义未来地区秩序的性质和特征。未来数年内，地区政治和安全形势仍然非常不乐观，叙利亚、利比亚和也门的危机仍将持续。
与会专家学者认为，总体而言，中东地区国家对中国的认知比较正面，认为中国的作用具有建设性，希望中国更多参与地区事务，而“一带一路”倡议也被广泛认为将给地区走出转型困境带来新的希望。（张卫婷）
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
How Israel Used Weapons and Technology to Become an Ally of China
By Yaakov Katz and Amir Bohbot
THE NEWSWEEK - 5/11/17
The secret, circuitous journey began late one night in February 1979 when an unmarked Boeing 707 took off from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Roughly 15 hours later, after a stop in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat and a refueling break in Kolkata, India, the plane landed in Guangzhou, China, where a group of German-speaking Chinese navigators boarded the aircraft for its fourth and final journey—to a sealed-off military base on the outskirts of Beijing. There, they went to a nearby compound. The “foreigners”—as the Chinese referred to the group aboard—barely spoke to one another, assuming Chinese officials had bugged the cabins. If there was something important to discuss, they went out into the cold, polluted night. The Chinese thought the group consisted of foreign businessmen who had connections with several leading international defense companies, including some from Israel. But that was just a cover. In reality, the delegation included Gabriel Gidor, the CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, the leading government-owned defense company, along with senior representatives from the Israeli foreign and defense ministries.
READ MORE....
THE NEWSWEEK - 5/11/17
The secret, circuitous journey began late one night in February 1979 when an unmarked Boeing 707 took off from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Roughly 15 hours later, after a stop in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat and a refueling break in Kolkata, India, the plane landed in Guangzhou, China, where a group of German-speaking Chinese navigators boarded the aircraft for its fourth and final journey—to a sealed-off military base on the outskirts of Beijing. There, they went to a nearby compound. The “foreigners”—as the Chinese referred to the group aboard—barely spoke to one another, assuming Chinese officials had bugged the cabins. If there was something important to discuss, they went out into the cold, polluted night. The Chinese thought the group consisted of foreign businessmen who had connections with several leading international defense companies, including some from Israel. But that was just a cover. In reality, the delegation included Gabriel Gidor, the CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, the leading government-owned defense company, along with senior representatives from the Israeli foreign and defense ministries.
READ MORE....
The rise of the Eurasianist vision in Turkey
Metin Gurcan
AL-MONITOR - May 17, 2017
Turkey’s April 16 referendum enabled President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to launch a structural transformation in the state apparatus on his way to executive presidency. The fundamental question now is which direction Turkey will take in the coming period. Erdogan’s first four foreign trips following the vote — all of them to the East — are indicative of a new orientation. After visiting India on April 30-May 1, Erdogan traveled to Sochi on May 3 for talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. He then visited Kuwait on May 8 before heading to China less than a week later to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a regional cooperation forum. In the meantime, Ankara took a severe blow from Washington. Overriding harsh Turkish objections, the administration made a decision to supply heavy weapons to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, without even waiting for Erdogan’s May 16 meeting with President Donald Trump. Following Washington’s decision, the surging Eurasianist wave in Turkey has become even more pronounced. The Eurasianist perspective now seems to go beyond ephemeral discussions, gaining intellectual and institutional depth. The trend is likely to further intensify if Erdogan’s highly critical meeting with Trump and the May 25 NATO summit in Brussels result in great disappointment for Ankara. So what are the basic features and competing variants of this perspective? It is important to keep in mind that the Eurasianist visions in Ankara do not originate solely from Erdogan. Over the years, they have gained prominence in the state bureaucracy, the security sector, think thanks and academia. Hence, Erdogan’s strategic foreign policy preferences are a necessary but not a sufficient condition to understand this perspective. To start with, one should note that this rising trend is more apparent in terms of foreign policy, defense and security rather than economic and social life. Turkish think tanks such as the Anka Institute, 21st Century Turkey Institute, Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies, Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies and the Institute of Strategic Thinking have come to increasingly articulate the idea that the West is getting broken and it is time for Turkey to turn East.
READ MORE.....
AL-MONITOR - May 17, 2017
Turkey’s April 16 referendum enabled President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to launch a structural transformation in the state apparatus on his way to executive presidency. The fundamental question now is which direction Turkey will take in the coming period. Erdogan’s first four foreign trips following the vote — all of them to the East — are indicative of a new orientation. After visiting India on April 30-May 1, Erdogan traveled to Sochi on May 3 for talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. He then visited Kuwait on May 8 before heading to China less than a week later to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a regional cooperation forum. In the meantime, Ankara took a severe blow from Washington. Overriding harsh Turkish objections, the administration made a decision to supply heavy weapons to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, without even waiting for Erdogan’s May 16 meeting with President Donald Trump. Following Washington’s decision, the surging Eurasianist wave in Turkey has become even more pronounced. The Eurasianist perspective now seems to go beyond ephemeral discussions, gaining intellectual and institutional depth. The trend is likely to further intensify if Erdogan’s highly critical meeting with Trump and the May 25 NATO summit in Brussels result in great disappointment for Ankara. So what are the basic features and competing variants of this perspective? It is important to keep in mind that the Eurasianist visions in Ankara do not originate solely from Erdogan. Over the years, they have gained prominence in the state bureaucracy, the security sector, think thanks and academia. Hence, Erdogan’s strategic foreign policy preferences are a necessary but not a sufficient condition to understand this perspective. To start with, one should note that this rising trend is more apparent in terms of foreign policy, defense and security rather than economic and social life. Turkish think tanks such as the Anka Institute, 21st Century Turkey Institute, Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies, Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies and the Institute of Strategic Thinking have come to increasingly articulate the idea that the West is getting broken and it is time for Turkey to turn East.
READ MORE.....
Iran Finalizes €2.2b Rail Deal With China’s CMC
Financial Tribune - Sunday, May 21, 2017
ran has finalized a €2.2 billion deal with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, known as CMC, to electrify a 926-km railroad from Tehran to the northeastern city of Mashhad, a deputy minister of roads and urban development said. “Two-thirds of the contract are financed by the Chinese government with a very low-interest rate. And the remaining one-third is covered by Chinese insurer Sinosure (China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan, who oversees Iranian firms’ talks with international businesses, told Financial Tribune in an exclusive interview. “Issues regarding the government guarantees were resolved during Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayyebnia’s recent visit to China,” he added. Tayyebnia arrived in the Chinese capital Beijing last Saturday to represent Iran in the New Silk Road summit, formally known as the “Belt and Road Initiative”. He met with senior Chinese officials, including his counterpart Xiao Jie and Chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission Guo Shuqing. "Only drafting and other paperwork remains," Fakhrieh-Kashan said, announcing that CMC representatives will be in Iran in June to sign the contract. “This is an important project that raises the operational speed of the line to 200 km/hour, meaning passengers can travel from Tehran to Mashhad in about four and a half hours.” A subsidiary of China General Technology Group, CMC is an international engineering contractor in transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities, and power plants. In 2014, the company constructed the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railroad, together with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and Turkish companies. Iran’s MAPNA Group is “the main domestic subcontractor”, Fakhrieh-Kashan said. The Iranian holding signed a preliminary deal in October 2016 with Germany’s Siemens for the joint manufacture of 70 electric locomotives to be used in Tehran-Mashhad route. Tehran-Qom-Isfahan High-Speed Line Among other major railroad projects Iran is carrying out with the help of international companies, Fakhrieh-Kashan referred to a high-speed line from Tehran to Qom and Isfahan, for which Iran has already signed a contract with China Railway Group Limited known as CREC. Although the contract, which is currently in effect, was signed in 2015 with an estimated value of €1.8 billion, its scope and value are expected to expand.
READ MORE.....
ran has finalized a €2.2 billion deal with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, known as CMC, to electrify a 926-km railroad from Tehran to the northeastern city of Mashhad, a deputy minister of roads and urban development said. “Two-thirds of the contract are financed by the Chinese government with a very low-interest rate. And the remaining one-third is covered by Chinese insurer Sinosure (China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan, who oversees Iranian firms’ talks with international businesses, told Financial Tribune in an exclusive interview. “Issues regarding the government guarantees were resolved during Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayyebnia’s recent visit to China,” he added. Tayyebnia arrived in the Chinese capital Beijing last Saturday to represent Iran in the New Silk Road summit, formally known as the “Belt and Road Initiative”. He met with senior Chinese officials, including his counterpart Xiao Jie and Chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission Guo Shuqing. "Only drafting and other paperwork remains," Fakhrieh-Kashan said, announcing that CMC representatives will be in Iran in June to sign the contract. “This is an important project that raises the operational speed of the line to 200 km/hour, meaning passengers can travel from Tehran to Mashhad in about four and a half hours.” A subsidiary of China General Technology Group, CMC is an international engineering contractor in transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities, and power plants. In 2014, the company constructed the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railroad, together with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and Turkish companies. Iran’s MAPNA Group is “the main domestic subcontractor”, Fakhrieh-Kashan said. The Iranian holding signed a preliminary deal in October 2016 with Germany’s Siemens for the joint manufacture of 70 electric locomotives to be used in Tehran-Mashhad route. Tehran-Qom-Isfahan High-Speed Line Among other major railroad projects Iran is carrying out with the help of international companies, Fakhrieh-Kashan referred to a high-speed line from Tehran to Qom and Isfahan, for which Iran has already signed a contract with China Railway Group Limited known as CREC. Although the contract, which is currently in effect, was signed in 2015 with an estimated value of €1.8 billion, its scope and value are expected to expand.
READ MORE.....
UAE's Emirates upgrades services to Beijing, Shanghai
Xinhua | 2017-05-23
DUBAI - United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Emirates Airline said Monday in an e-mailed statement that it will provide from July 1 onward an all-A380 service on its Beijing and Shanghai services, replacing the current Boeing 777-300ER operations. The Dubai government-controlled airline said the move will increase capacity to both Beijing and Shanghai, "offering Emirates passengers even more seamless A380-to-A380 connections between the two Chinese cities and over 30 international points." This upgrade strengthens Emirates' overall mainland China offering, which also includes services to Guangzhou, Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, said the carrier. The additional seats on the routes will support more business and leisure travel departing from and arriving in China, while offering passengers an exceptional global travel experience. The Emirates A380 "Superjumbo" offers up to 519 seats in a three class configuration on Chinese routes. Earlier last month, Emirates Airline Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said the carrier aims to expand its network in China within the next 12 months. "We are looking at the Chinese market to expand our operations there as we are convinced of China's growth prospects in relation to passenger demand," said Sheikh Ahmed. According to the official Dubai Tourism authority, among Dubai's top 20 source markets for inbound tourism during the first three months of 2017, "China continued to top the growth trajectory charts with unparalleled 64 percent increase over the first quarter in 2016, delivering 230,000 tourists." Since the end of 2016, Chinese tourists can obtain a "visa on arrival" at UAE international airports.
DUBAI - United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Emirates Airline said Monday in an e-mailed statement that it will provide from July 1 onward an all-A380 service on its Beijing and Shanghai services, replacing the current Boeing 777-300ER operations. The Dubai government-controlled airline said the move will increase capacity to both Beijing and Shanghai, "offering Emirates passengers even more seamless A380-to-A380 connections between the two Chinese cities and over 30 international points." This upgrade strengthens Emirates' overall mainland China offering, which also includes services to Guangzhou, Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, said the carrier. The additional seats on the routes will support more business and leisure travel departing from and arriving in China, while offering passengers an exceptional global travel experience. The Emirates A380 "Superjumbo" offers up to 519 seats in a three class configuration on Chinese routes. Earlier last month, Emirates Airline Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said the carrier aims to expand its network in China within the next 12 months. "We are looking at the Chinese market to expand our operations there as we are convinced of China's growth prospects in relation to passenger demand," said Sheikh Ahmed. According to the official Dubai Tourism authority, among Dubai's top 20 source markets for inbound tourism during the first three months of 2017, "China continued to top the growth trajectory charts with unparalleled 64 percent increase over the first quarter in 2016, delivering 230,000 tourists." Since the end of 2016, Chinese tourists can obtain a "visa on arrival" at UAE international airports.
CHINA'S EURASIAN CENTURY? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative
By Nadège Rolland
The National Bureau of Asian Research, 2017
China's Belt and Road Initiative has become the organizing foreign policy
concept of the Xi Jinping era. The 21st-century version of the Silk
Road will take shape around a vast network of transportation, energy,
and telecommunication infrastructure linking Europe and Africa to Asia.
China sees physical infrastructure as a first step toward Eurasian
integration, thanks in part to the creation of economic corridors that
will enable greater regional policy coordination. Drawing from the work of Chinese official and analytic communities,
China's Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative
examines the concept's origins, drivers, and various component
parts, as well as China's domestic and international objectives. Rolland
shows how the Belt and Road Initiative reflects Beijing's desire to
shape Eurasia according to its own worldview and unique characteristics.
More than a list of revamped infrastructure projects, the initiative is
a grand strategy that serves China's vision for itself as the
preponderant power in Eurasia and a global power second to none.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Mapping the Silk Roads Chapter 2 The Belt and Road Initiative: Bigger, Bolder, Better? Chapter 3 Drivers of the Belt and Road Initiative Chapter 4 A Vision for China as a Risen Power Chapter 5 Hurdles on the Way Chapter 6 Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative
The National Bureau of Asian Research, 2017
China's Belt and Road Initiative has become the organizing foreign policy
concept of the Xi Jinping era. The 21st-century version of the Silk
Road will take shape around a vast network of transportation, energy,
and telecommunication infrastructure linking Europe and Africa to Asia.
China sees physical infrastructure as a first step toward Eurasian
integration, thanks in part to the creation of economic corridors that
will enable greater regional policy coordination. Drawing from the work of Chinese official and analytic communities,
China's Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative
examines the concept's origins, drivers, and various component
parts, as well as China's domestic and international objectives. Rolland
shows how the Belt and Road Initiative reflects Beijing's desire to
shape Eurasia according to its own worldview and unique characteristics.
More than a list of revamped infrastructure projects, the initiative is
a grand strategy that serves China's vision for itself as the
preponderant power in Eurasia and a global power second to none.TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Mapping the Silk Roads Chapter 2 The Belt and Road Initiative: Bigger, Bolder, Better? Chapter 3 Drivers of the Belt and Road Initiative Chapter 4 A Vision for China as a Risen Power Chapter 5 Hurdles on the Way Chapter 6 Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative
UAE Emirate of Sharjah to promote tourism in China's Shanghai, Shenzhen
Xinhua| 2017-05-20
DUBAI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The foreign direct investment (FDI) office of Sharjah, member of United Arab Emirates (UAE), is targeting events in Chinese metropolises Shanghai and Shenzhen, in a bid to increase the UAE's business opportunities, state news agency WAM reported. The organization will be exhibiting at the 2017 World Forum for Foreign Direct Investment, which takes place in Shanghai on May 23-24, and then at the China Offshore Summit, to be held in Shenzhen on May 24-25. Sharjah's participation is aimed at strengthening its existing relationships and facilitating the forging of new alliances with prospective business partners. Marwan Al-Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, investment committee of Sharjah, described both forums as being crucial opportunities to raise awareness and continue investment momentum for the UAE, with an estimated 2016 bilateral trade with China of as high as 60 billion U.S. dollars. He pointed to the fact that there are approximately 4,200 Chinese companies operating in the country, including Chinese blue chip firms China State Construction, China National Petroleum, Huawei, Bank of China, ICBC, and China COSCO Shipping. "Sharjah plays a leading role in encouraging and facilitating investment, as one of the most strategically placed commercial centers in the region," said Al Sarkal. Earlier last year, the tourism authority in the emirate of Sharjah said it was preparing to welcome as many as 200,000 Chinese visitors by 2021. In 2016, hotel facilities in the emirate received more than 86,000 Chinese guests, a 63 percent increase year on year, according to WAM.
DUBAI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The foreign direct investment (FDI) office of Sharjah, member of United Arab Emirates (UAE), is targeting events in Chinese metropolises Shanghai and Shenzhen, in a bid to increase the UAE's business opportunities, state news agency WAM reported. The organization will be exhibiting at the 2017 World Forum for Foreign Direct Investment, which takes place in Shanghai on May 23-24, and then at the China Offshore Summit, to be held in Shenzhen on May 24-25. Sharjah's participation is aimed at strengthening its existing relationships and facilitating the forging of new alliances with prospective business partners. Marwan Al-Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, investment committee of Sharjah, described both forums as being crucial opportunities to raise awareness and continue investment momentum for the UAE, with an estimated 2016 bilateral trade with China of as high as 60 billion U.S. dollars. He pointed to the fact that there are approximately 4,200 Chinese companies operating in the country, including Chinese blue chip firms China State Construction, China National Petroleum, Huawei, Bank of China, ICBC, and China COSCO Shipping. "Sharjah plays a leading role in encouraging and facilitating investment, as one of the most strategically placed commercial centers in the region," said Al Sarkal. Earlier last year, the tourism authority in the emirate of Sharjah said it was preparing to welcome as many as 200,000 Chinese visitors by 2021. In 2016, hotel facilities in the emirate received more than 86,000 Chinese guests, a 63 percent increase year on year, according to WAM.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
THE MIDDLE EAST AT STRATETIC CROSSROADS: CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE - MAY 22-23, 2017 Shanghai, China
THE MIDDLE EAST AT STRATETIC CROSSROADS:
CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE
HOSTED BY
SHANGHAI INSTITUTES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (SIIS)
Organized by Center For West Asian and African Studies, SIIS
Assisted by Research Center for Belt and Road Initiative, SASS
MAY 22-23, 2017
VENUE: SHANGHAI INSTITUTES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
(NO.15, LANE 195, TIANLIN ROAD, SHANGHAI)
Hengshan Picardie Hotel, NO.534, Hengshan Road Shanghai, 86-21-51013030
WORKING LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
MAY 21 (SUNDAY)
Participants check in at Hengshan Picardie Hotel
18:00 Buffet in Hengshan Picardie Hotel
May 22
Venue: SIIS Building
8:30 NON-Shanghai Participants wait in hotel lobby departing for SIIS
9:00- 10:00 OPENING REMARKS AND KEYNOTE SPEECH
Moderator: Prof. Ye Qing, Assistant President of SIIS
Opening Remarks:
➢ Prof. Chen Dongxiao, President of SIIS
➢ Prof. Wang Zhen, Vice President of SASS
Keynote Speech
➢ Mr. Cui Wei, The Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, Foreign Ministry of People’s Republic of China
10:00-10:25 GROUP PHOTO AND COFFEE BREAK
10:25—12:00 THE CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER (I)
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS：
■ What are the new features of Middle Eastregional order?
■ What are the new features of the interactions of major extra-powers?
Moderator：Prof. Yang Guang,
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Amb. Mohamed Loulichki, The Middle East region between regional rivalries and outside powers strategies
➢ Prof. Ye Qing, Post-order: Regional trend in the Middle East
➢ Prof. Meena Singh Roy, Emerging Regional Order in West Asia and India
➢ Prof. Tang Zhichao, New Normal of Major Powers' interaction and multi-polarization of Middle East
➢ Prof. Huang Zhaoyu, The Middle East Changes: Opportunities and Challenges
12:00—13:15 WORKING LUNCH
13:15—15:00 THE CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER (II)
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
■ How to categorize the roles of major regional actors?
■ What are the new features of the interactions among major regional actors?
Moderator: Prof. Wang Jian
Speaker：
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Tugrul Keskin, Modern Kurdish Nationalism: Transregional Movement in the Context of US foreign Policy
➢ M. Noyan Rona, New Dynamics in the Middle East: Turkey’s Position
➢ Ms. Liu Xin, New Turkey and OBOR: How to enhance bilateral relations within new context
➢ Dr. Yang Chen, From Parliamentary System to Presidential System: Turkey’s Political Choice in the Transitional Period
➢ Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Iran’s role in regional order (5 minutes)
➢ Dr. Mohammed Sudairi, Saudi’s role in regional order (5 minutes)
➢ Prof. Wu Bingbing, Future Relations between Iran and GCC relations
15:15—15:30 COFFEE BREAK
15:30—17:00 THE BELT AND ROAD IN THE MIDDLE EAST
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
■ How to categorize the latest progress of the Belt and Road Initiative?
■ What are the major challenges, and what are the suggestions?
■ What do Middle East countries think about the Belt and Road Summits held a week ago?
Moderator: Prof. Li Weijian
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Yang Guang, the Opportunities and Challenges of the Belt and Road in the Middle East
➢ Prof. Wang Jian, OBOR initiative and Arab World and the Middle East: Revaluation and Prospect
➢ Prof. Li Lifan, China-Central Asia-West Asia Corridor: Progress and Challenges
➢ Prof. Hossam Ibrahim, The Silk Road Initiative and the Middle East: Opportunities and Challenges
➢ Prof. Wang Feng, Security Dilemma：A Greatest Risk Facing China-Afghan Cooperation in The Belt and Road Plan
➢ Prof. Baris Doster, One Belt One Road, Turkey and China
➢ Prof. Qian Xuming：The Belt and Road Initiative and China-GCC Relations
15:00—15:15 COFFEE BREAK
15:15—17:00 THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL HOTSPOTS (Free discussion for the rest part of the time)
■ What are the latest developments and features of terrorist threats in the Middle East?
■ What are the new challenges in this regard?
Moderator: Prof. Sun Degang
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Yu Jianhua, Some Personal Observations on the evolution of regional political and security situation
➢ Prof. Wang Zhen, The Challenges and Perspectives of Syria’s Counter-terror War in the Trump Era
➢ Prof. Seyed Mohammad Marandi, State Actors and the Rise of Extremism
➢ MS. Wang Zhuo, Comparing Chinese and US Policy in the Gulf: Case Studies of Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia
➢ Mr. Zhou Yiqi, China and Russia in Syrian Crisis: Common Grounds and Difference
17:00 PARTICIPANTS DEPART FOR DINNER IN THE HOTEL
17:40 DINNER HOSTED FOR NON-SHANGHAI PARTICIPANTS
May 23 (Tuesday)
9:00-10:30 CHINA’S ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
How to categorize China’s roles in the region?
Moderator: Prof.Wu Bingbing
Speakers
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Sun Degang, China's Mediation Diplomacy in the Middle East Conflict Resolution
➢ Prof. Ding Long, China’s Encounter with Violent Extremism at Home and Abroad
➢ Prof. Jin Liangxiang, China’s Role in the Middle East: Current Debates and Future Trends
➢ Prof. Bao Chengzhang, China’s Participation in Middle East Security Affairs: Political Traps or Practical Needs?
➢ Dr. Mohammed Sudairi, The Challenges of Saudi-China relations
➢ Prof. Ahmed Ali Salem， The Value Base of China-Arab Cooperation
10:30—10:45 COFFEE BREAK
10:45—11:45 FREE DISCUSSION
Moderator: Prof. Jin Liangxiang
11:45—12:00 CONCLUSION REMARKS
Moderator：Prof. Jin Liangxiang
12:00—13:00 WORKING LUNCH
13:00 NON-SHANGHAI PARTICIPANTS BEGAN TO LEAVE SHANGHAI
CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE
HOSTED BY
SHANGHAI INSTITUTES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (SIIS)
Organized by Center For West Asian and African Studies, SIIS
Assisted by Research Center for Belt and Road Initiative, SASS
MAY 22-23, 2017
VENUE: SHANGHAI INSTITUTES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
(NO.15, LANE 195, TIANLIN ROAD, SHANGHAI)
Hengshan Picardie Hotel, NO.534, Hengshan Road Shanghai, 86-21-51013030
WORKING LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
MAY 21 (SUNDAY)
Participants check in at Hengshan Picardie Hotel
18:00 Buffet in Hengshan Picardie Hotel
May 22
Venue: SIIS Building
8:30 NON-Shanghai Participants wait in hotel lobby departing for SIIS
9:00- 10:00 OPENING REMARKS AND KEYNOTE SPEECH
Moderator: Prof. Ye Qing, Assistant President of SIIS
Opening Remarks:
➢ Prof. Chen Dongxiao, President of SIIS
➢ Prof. Wang Zhen, Vice President of SASS
Keynote Speech
➢ Mr. Cui Wei, The Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, Foreign Ministry of People’s Republic of China
10:00-10:25 GROUP PHOTO AND COFFEE BREAK
10:25—12:00 THE CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER (I)
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS：
■ What are the new features of Middle Eastregional order?
■ What are the new features of the interactions of major extra-powers?
Moderator：Prof. Yang Guang,
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Amb. Mohamed Loulichki, The Middle East region between regional rivalries and outside powers strategies
➢ Prof. Ye Qing, Post-order: Regional trend in the Middle East
➢ Prof. Meena Singh Roy, Emerging Regional Order in West Asia and India
➢ Prof. Tang Zhichao, New Normal of Major Powers' interaction and multi-polarization of Middle East
➢ Prof. Huang Zhaoyu, The Middle East Changes: Opportunities and Challenges
12:00—13:15 WORKING LUNCH
13:15—15:00 THE CHANGE OF REGIONAL ORDER (II)
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
■ How to categorize the roles of major regional actors?
■ What are the new features of the interactions among major regional actors?
Moderator: Prof. Wang Jian
Speaker：
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Tugrul Keskin, Modern Kurdish Nationalism: Transregional Movement in the Context of US foreign Policy
➢ M. Noyan Rona, New Dynamics in the Middle East: Turkey’s Position
➢ Ms. Liu Xin, New Turkey and OBOR: How to enhance bilateral relations within new context
➢ Dr. Yang Chen, From Parliamentary System to Presidential System: Turkey’s Political Choice in the Transitional Period
➢ Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Iran’s role in regional order (5 minutes)
➢ Dr. Mohammed Sudairi, Saudi’s role in regional order (5 minutes)
➢ Prof. Wu Bingbing, Future Relations between Iran and GCC relations
15:15—15:30 COFFEE BREAK
15:30—17:00 THE BELT AND ROAD IN THE MIDDLE EAST
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
■ How to categorize the latest progress of the Belt and Road Initiative?
■ What are the major challenges, and what are the suggestions?
■ What do Middle East countries think about the Belt and Road Summits held a week ago?
Moderator: Prof. Li Weijian
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Yang Guang, the Opportunities and Challenges of the Belt and Road in the Middle East
➢ Prof. Wang Jian, OBOR initiative and Arab World and the Middle East: Revaluation and Prospect
➢ Prof. Li Lifan, China-Central Asia-West Asia Corridor: Progress and Challenges
➢ Prof. Hossam Ibrahim, The Silk Road Initiative and the Middle East: Opportunities and Challenges
➢ Prof. Wang Feng, Security Dilemma：A Greatest Risk Facing China-Afghan Cooperation in The Belt and Road Plan
➢ Prof. Baris Doster, One Belt One Road, Turkey and China
➢ Prof. Qian Xuming：The Belt and Road Initiative and China-GCC Relations
15:00—15:15 COFFEE BREAK
15:15—17:00 THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL HOTSPOTS (Free discussion for the rest part of the time)
■ What are the latest developments and features of terrorist threats in the Middle East?
■ What are the new challenges in this regard?
Moderator: Prof. Sun Degang
Speakers:
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Prof. Yu Jianhua, Some Personal Observations on the evolution of regional political and security situation
➢ Prof. Wang Zhen, The Challenges and Perspectives of Syria’s Counter-terror War in the Trump Era
➢ Prof. Seyed Mohammad Marandi, State Actors and the Rise of Extremism
➢ MS. Wang Zhuo, Comparing Chinese and US Policy in the Gulf: Case Studies of Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia
➢ Mr. Zhou Yiqi, China and Russia in Syrian Crisis: Common Grounds and Difference
17:00 PARTICIPANTS DEPART FOR DINNER IN THE HOTEL
17:40 DINNER HOSTED FOR NON-SHANGHAI PARTICIPANTS
May 23 (Tuesday)
9:00-10:30 CHINA’S ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN FOCUS
How to categorize China’s roles in the region?
Moderator: Prof.Wu Bingbing
Speakers
10 minutes for each speaker
➢ Sun Degang, China's Mediation Diplomacy in the Middle East Conflict Resolution
➢ Prof. Ding Long, China’s Encounter with Violent Extremism at Home and Abroad
➢ Prof. Jin Liangxiang, China’s Role in the Middle East: Current Debates and Future Trends
➢ Prof. Bao Chengzhang, China’s Participation in Middle East Security Affairs: Political Traps or Practical Needs?
➢ Dr. Mohammed Sudairi, The Challenges of Saudi-China relations
➢ Prof. Ahmed Ali Salem， The Value Base of China-Arab Cooperation
10:30—10:45 COFFEE BREAK
10:45—11:45 FREE DISCUSSION
Moderator: Prof. Jin Liangxiang
11:45—12:00 CONCLUSION REMARKS
Moderator：Prof. Jin Liangxiang
12:00—13:00 WORKING LUNCH
13:00 NON-SHANGHAI PARTICIPANTS BEGAN TO LEAVE SHANGHAI
Saturday, May 13, 2017
China, Turkey to strengthen cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative
Xinhua| 2017-05-13
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday the two countries will strengthen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Erdogan is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation which begins Sunday. Xi spoke highly of Turkey's support for and active participation in the Belt and Road development, saying that China is ready to steadily advance major projects of cooperation with Turkey under the initiative. The two countries should better align their strategies according to the principle of equality and mutual benefits, Xi said. He urged continuous efforts to push forward cooperation on the Online Silk Road, facility construction and industrial cooperation, as well as to promote policy coordination and trade balance. China welcomes the Turkish side to hold a Turkey tourism year in China in 2018, and is ready to boost bilateral people-to-people exchanges with the country, taking the opportunity of an agreement to set up cultural centers on both sides, Xi said. He stressed that the development of China-Turkey strategic cooperative relations is in the fundamental interests of the two nations and their people. The two sides should respect and accommodate with each other's core concerns and deepen security and anti-terrorism cooperation, Xi noted. He also stressed that China is willing to step up communication with all parties to help achieve peace and stability in the Middle East at an early date. Erdogan said Turkey holds a positive attitude toward advancing pragmatic cooperation with China, saying the upcoming forum is very important.
READ MORE....
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday the two countries will strengthen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Erdogan is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation which begins Sunday. Xi spoke highly of Turkey's support for and active participation in the Belt and Road development, saying that China is ready to steadily advance major projects of cooperation with Turkey under the initiative. The two countries should better align their strategies according to the principle of equality and mutual benefits, Xi said. He urged continuous efforts to push forward cooperation on the Online Silk Road, facility construction and industrial cooperation, as well as to promote policy coordination and trade balance. China welcomes the Turkish side to hold a Turkey tourism year in China in 2018, and is ready to boost bilateral people-to-people exchanges with the country, taking the opportunity of an agreement to set up cultural centers on both sides, Xi said. He stressed that the development of China-Turkey strategic cooperative relations is in the fundamental interests of the two nations and their people. The two sides should respect and accommodate with each other's core concerns and deepen security and anti-terrorism cooperation, Xi noted. He also stressed that China is willing to step up communication with all parties to help achieve peace and stability in the Middle East at an early date. Erdogan said Turkey holds a positive attitude toward advancing pragmatic cooperation with China, saying the upcoming forum is very important.
READ MORE....
Thursday, May 11, 2017
UAE strongly supports China's Belt and Road Initiative
Xinhua - 2017-05-11
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) strongly supports China's Belt and Road Initiative, said UAE Minister of State Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber.[Special coverage]"The UAE strongly supports this initiative, which will foster economic growth and security both regionally and globally," Al-Jaber told Xinhua in an interview ahead of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for Sunday and Monday in Beijing.
Al-Jaber, who is also CEO of the biggest government-controlled UAE firm Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), believes that the forum serves as an important milestone in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, which is China's historical effort to "transform the economies of the old Silk Road, strengthen links between them and better connect them to the rest of the world."
Al-Jaber praised the "substantial progress" made with regard to the initiative since China proposed this far-sighted project in 2013.
READ MORE....
Turkey, BRI: transport hub en route
Experts at a recent
conference on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, hosted in Istanbul, spoke of
its many advantages to the region, but also on the challenges involved in
attracting financing
BY Anoop Singh Distinguished Fellow, Geoeconomics Studies
Turkey hosted a major
conference on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the last week of April in
Istanbul. The main hosts were: Koç University Maritime Forum (KUDENFOR), Koç
University Asia Centre (KUASIA), and the Foreign Economic Relations Board
(DEİK) of Turkey. Huaqiao University, China, was the main sponsor, supported by
the Chinese Embassy. Other participants came from the academic and business
community in Turkey, and representatives from the EU and other countries. I
represented Gateway House.
The meeting was well
timed–ahead of the Heads of State BRI Summit in Beijing in mid-May, when
countries and international financial institutions (IFIs) are expected to sign
up formally on the project. Turkish president Erdogan will attend it. India has
not yet indicated sending any representation to the summit—and is unlikely to
do so.
The BRI has become China’s
most ambitious foreign trade and investment project [1] in its 13th Five-Year
Plan, potentially similar in size to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement,
previously proposed by the U.S. China’s 2017 Government Work Report identified
the BRI as an anchor for expansion and enhancement of the “opening up” policy,
with international capacity cooperation as a key component.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
3rd China and The Middle East Conference - Shanghai University People’s Republic of China June 7-8, 2017
Shanghai University Presents
an
International Conference on
3rd China and The Middle East
Conference:
Asia to the Middle East: Asianization of the
Middle East with Economic Characteristics?
Shanghai University
People’s
Republic of China
June 7-8,
2017
North Building, Shanghai Academy, Shanghai University (Yan Chang
Campus), Yan Chang Road, No. 149, Jing An District, Shanghai, China.
Organized by
Center for Turkish Studies and Center for Global Studies
Shanghai University
Organizing Committee
·
Dr.
Guo Changgang, Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China.
·
Dr.
Tugrul Keskin, Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China.
·
Dr.
Chen Hao, Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China.
·
Dr. Yang
Chen, Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China.
· Dr. Wei Huang, Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China.
·
Dr.
Yang Jun, Shanghai University
People’s Republic of China.
International
Committee:
·
Dr.
Mohammedmoin Sadeq, Professor - Qatar University, Qatar.
· Dr. Tugrul Keskin, Associate Professor
- Shanghai University, China.
·
Dr.
Mark Juergensmeyer, Professor - University of California at Santa Barbara, USA.
· Dr. Tarik Yousef, Senior Fellow and Director,
Brookings Doha Center, Qatar.
· Dr. Sean Foley, Associate Professor - Middle Tennessee
State University, USA.
· Dr. Baris Doster, Associate Professor – Marmara
University, Turkey.
· Dr. Mojtaba Mahdavi, Associate Professor - University
of Alberta, Canada.
· Dr. Saban Kardas, Associate Professor – TOBB
University, Turkey.
· Dr.
Nissim Otmazgin, Professor – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
· Dr. Sari Hanafi, Professor - American University of
Beirut, Lebanon.
· Dr. Juan Cole, Professor - University of Michigan,
USA.
· Dr. Yunus Emre, Associate Professor – Kultur
University, Turkey.
· Dr. Geoffrey Gresh, National Defense University, USA.
· Dr. Merve Kavakci, Associate Professor - Uskudar
University, Turkey.
Are Japan and China competing in the Middle East?
Yoram Evron, University of Haifa
EAST ASIA FORUM - 28 April 2017
Over the years, China and Japan have followed very different paths of involvement in the Middle East. The one policy that both countries have consistently shared though is steering well clear of the region’s politics and conflicts. This is starting to change.
China and Japan are both highly dependent on Middle Eastern energy sources and are interested in expanding their economic interests in this area. Both countries are also trying to strengthen their political stance in the region and become more involved in big power Middle East politics.
But are the two countries’ competing trajectories in the Middle East related to the broader Sino–Japanese rivalry?
At face value, competition over access to energy sources seems like the greatest source of Sino–Japanese competition in the Middle East, with a direct contest over the development of some oilfields already happening. But looking deeper, it does not seem like their decisions concerning investments and other economic activities in the Middle East’s energy sector are dominated by their confrontation elsewhere.
READ MORE....
EAST ASIA FORUM - 28 April 2017
Over the years, China and Japan have followed very different paths of involvement in the Middle East. The one policy that both countries have consistently shared though is steering well clear of the region’s politics and conflicts. This is starting to change.
China and Japan are both highly dependent on Middle Eastern energy sources and are interested in expanding their economic interests in this area. Both countries are also trying to strengthen their political stance in the region and become more involved in big power Middle East politics.
But are the two countries’ competing trajectories in the Middle East related to the broader Sino–Japanese rivalry?
At face value, competition over access to energy sources seems like the greatest source of Sino–Japanese competition in the Middle East, with a direct contest over the development of some oilfields already happening. But looking deeper, it does not seem like their decisions concerning investments and other economic activities in the Middle East’s energy sector are dominated by their confrontation elsewhere.
READ MORE....
Is China pivoting towards the Middle East?
Mirek Dusek Head of Middle East and North Africa, Member of the Executive Committee Undo, World Economic Forum
Maroun Kairouz Community Lead, Regional Strategies, MENA, World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum - 04 Apr 2017
At this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared his intention to host a Belt and Road Summit for international cooperation, to which most countries from the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) have been invited.
This follows China’s first Arab Policy Paper, outlining the government’s vision for an enhanced relationship with the countries of the region, which was issued in January 2016. The document indubitably reflects the Middle-East’s soaring importance in Beijing’s eyes, and could very well be a harbinger of its future plans. Indeed, in the decade to 2014, trade flows between the two sides have surged by 600%.
But does this development indicate a Chinese pivot to the region? And what are the key issues around the intensifying relationship between China and the countries of the MENA region throughout the past decade?
READ MORE.....
Maroun Kairouz Community Lead, Regional Strategies, MENA, World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum - 04 Apr 2017
At this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared his intention to host a Belt and Road Summit for international cooperation, to which most countries from the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) have been invited.
This follows China’s first Arab Policy Paper, outlining the government’s vision for an enhanced relationship with the countries of the region, which was issued in January 2016. The document indubitably reflects the Middle-East’s soaring importance in Beijing’s eyes, and could very well be a harbinger of its future plans. Indeed, in the decade to 2014, trade flows between the two sides have surged by 600%.
But does this development indicate a Chinese pivot to the region? And what are the key issues around the intensifying relationship between China and the countries of the MENA region throughout the past decade?
READ MORE.....
Syria: 5,000 Chinese Uyghurs fighting in Syria
A Syrian official claimed
that nearly 5,000 Chinese Uyghurs are fighting with militant groups in Syria.
Syrian Ambassador to Beijing,
Imad Mustafa, said: “Our estimated numbers, because of the numbers we fight
against, we kill, we capture, we wound, would be around 4-5,000 Xinjiang
jihadists.”
“China as well as every other
countries should be extremely concerned,” Mustafa said, adding that China and
Syria are cooperating to face this threat.
China has repeatedly warned
that the Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim minority pose a major threat to Beijing with
some traveling illegally to Syria and Iraq through Southeast Asia and Turkey to
fight with militants there.
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