BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends a signature ceremony with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi at the Great Hall on Monday.—Reuters
BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends a signature ceremony with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi at the Great Hall on Monday.—Reuters

BEIJING: Iraq will join China’s signature “Belt and Road” infrastructure investment project, the country’s prime minister said on Monday in Beijing.

Adel Abdel Mahdi made the announcement in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit.

“Iraq has gone through war and civil strife and is grateful to China for its valuable support,” said Mahdi, in comments broadcast on Chinese state media outlet CCTV.

“Iraq is willing to work together in the ‘One Belt, One Road’ framework,” he added.

Xi said that the two countries would cooperate on oil and infrastructure projects.

“China would like, from a new starting point together with Iraq, to push forward the China-Iraq strategic partnership,” said Xi.

Trade last year between China and Iraq was more than $30 billion, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Beijing is Baghdad’s biggest trade partner, while Iraq is China’s second biggest oil supplier.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a massive global network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, which will see trillions invested in new infrastructure.

It has faced criticism for swaddling poor nations with crippling debt and been eyed with suspicion by Washington, which sees it as an attempt by China to grow its influence in the region.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.