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Chinese tech a mixed blessing in the Middle East
China’s growing influence in the global technological market reflects Beijing’s ambition to be a leading player in digital technology. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for China to dominate...
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Blocked in the West, Huawei eyes emerging markets
Huawei Technologies is eyeing new emerging markets and novel strategies in response to setbacks and sanctions on its expansion plans in the West, company chairman Liang Hua said at a corporate forum...
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Saudi Arabia in a big oily pivot to China
Saudi Arabia’s decision in October to spearhead a two million barrel per day cut in OPEC+ production quotas, and the harsh US response to it, is only the most recent example of the drift in Saudi-US...
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New era of China-Saudi ties riles Iran
The pomp and ceremony of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia has drawn comparison with the banality and frigid atmosphere surrounding US President Joe Biden’s trip to the...
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China’s Middle East reset will ultimately depend on Israel
Following political developments in the past fortnight, two state-level policy changes in the Middle East are likely to combine to have a substantial impact on regional stability. On March 10, in a...
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US failure in Iraq opened the door for China, Russia
Twenty years ago, the United States invaded Iraq, with then-president George W Bush describing it as a necessary act “to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.” A few weeks later,...
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China and Brazil reach RMB-based trade deal
A Rio-based Chinese bank will be connected to China’s cross-border interbank payment System (CIPS), an alternative to SWIFT, to support trade settlements between China and Brazil in renminbi. Banco...
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China’s Mideast diplomacy win is no Pax Sinica
The recent agreement to reestablish diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh was no “peace deal,” but the rivals did decide to cool tensions and reopen embassies after a seven-year lapse....
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Huawei eyes Saudi Arabia as its regional hub
News reports suggest Huawei is upgrading its presence in Saudi Arabia into a regional headquarters, underscoring the Chinese tech giant’s commitment to the kingdom’s and the region’s economic and...
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China hones its Global South diplomacy
Iran and Saudi Arabia’s agreement to resume diplomatic relations after years of clashes caught many by surprise – especially due to the Chinese role in mediating between the parties, leaving the...
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BRICS expansion and a message to the West
Saudi Arabia is in talks on joining BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB), a precursor to inclusion in a club that comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Extending membership to Riyadh...
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Washington’s self-defeating foreign policy
If I were a shovel manufacturer I could make a lot of money in Washington, because Washington policymakers are digging deeper and deeper holes for the United States. Washington is not alone: the Biden...
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West Bank explodes in biggest Israel attack in decades
Israel has launched a major military assault on gunmen in a Palestinian refugee camp, using 1,000 troops and jet bombers to crush guerrilla resistance. It’s the latest and most severe effort this year...
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Saudi Arabia’s Ukraine peace talks agree on nothing
The Saudi Arabia-sponsored “peace talks” failed to accomplish anything. Ukraine was hoping to bring on board more “neutral” countries supporting Ukraine’s policy. That didn’t happen, and the...
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Picture adding Indonesia, Iran – or Cuba – to BRICS
Eager to escape perceived western domination, several countries – mostly in the Global South – are looking to join the BRICS bloc. The five-country bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)...
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What six BRICS new members are buying into
One key outcome of the 15th BRICS summit, hosted by South Africa, is the decision to invite six more countries to join the group with effect from January 2024. They are Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran,...
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Breaking Pakistan’s dirty IMF habit
Pakistan’s recent US$3 billion Stand-By Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided much-needed financial relief alongside the financial aid and investment from several...
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Saudi nuclear weapon talk is no empty threat
If Iran gets the bomb, expect Saudi Arabia to acquire one next. That’s at least what Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman insinuated in a late September interview when asked what Riyadh would do if...
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Houthis attack tanker & French warship in Red Sea
(Update: The Houthis on Wednesday fired two missiles at another tanker. The tanker, the Ardmore Encounter, is a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker traveling north toward the Suez Canal in the Red Sea,...
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Israel rejects Biden’s war-ending plan [UPDATED]
[UPDATED] JERUSALEM – United States diplomatic efforts to get Israel and Hamas to agree on a Gaza Strip ceasefire and open the way to Middle East peace process failed Wednesday. The attempt faced an...
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