As everyone knows, Iraq has endured years of war, and since the war ended in 2003, the road to reconstruction has been very difficult.
Despite the passage of over twenty years, due to rampant terrorism and external interference, Iraq's economy remains sluggish, showing no signs of hope.
However, against this backdrop, Iraq has recently turned its attention to China, planning to invest tens of billions of dollars in the hope of achieving economic recovery with China's help. What exactly is going on?
To unravel this mystery, we need to start with Iraq's ambitious development strategy.
According to reports, on June 18, senior Iraqi officials held a series of high-level meetings with Chinese officials to discuss the specific details of future cooperation between the two countries.
At the meetings, Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani clearly stated that Iraq plans to align its $17 billion "Strategic Development Road" project with China's "Belt and Road" initiative.
This news, once released, immediately attracted global attention.
If this plan is implemented, it means Iraq will invest a large amount of money to participate in China's strategic layout in the Middle East and thereby catch China's "development express."
In fact, Iraq's "Strategic Development Road" project is not a sudden idea but the result of long-term planning and construction.
This project can almost be seen as the current Iraqi government's "treasure for turning the tide."
According to Iraq's vision, this plan will create a "seamless energy transport corridor" for Iraq, starting from the major oil export hub of Erfa in the Persian Gulf (expected to be completed by 2025), passing through multiple oil and gas fields within Iraq, and eventually converging the energy in Fishkabur, a city bordering Turkey, from where it will be transported by road and rail to various parts of Europe.
In the past, Iraq's energy exports often required transit through the ports of neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which not only increased costs but also subjected Iraq to dependency on others.
Therefore, if the "Strategic Development Road" is successfully built, it will enable Iraq to achieve true independence in energy exports, which is almost a "lifeline" for Iraq, urgently in need of economic development.
Currently, the Iraqi government plans to invest $17 billion to implement this project, but industry insiders analyze that the actual cost may reach $24 billion, equivalent to 174.2 billion yuan.
For economically struggling Iraq, this is undoubtedly an "astronomical figure."
Therefore, in recent years, Iraq has been seeking investment from countries like Qatar and the UAE.
On April 22 this year, Turkey and Iraq officially signed an agreement to jointly participate in the construction of this strategic corridor.
Given that Iraq already has so many investors, why does it still choose China and align with the "Belt and Road" initiative?
The answer is simple: a large tree provides good shade.
First, China's technological advantage in road construction is a key reason why Iraq chose China.
In the past few decades, China has risen at an astonishing speed, with development achievements that have attracted global attention.
Due to the diverse and complex geographical environment, China has accumulated rich construction experience, completing a series of miraculous projects such as the Yaxi Expressway in Sichuan, the Beipanjiang Bridge in Yunnan and Guizhou, and the Motuo Highway in Tibet.
If Iraq wants to quickly and efficiently complete the "Strategic Development Road" project, China is undoubtedly the best choice.
Second, the friendship between China and Iraq provides Iraq with confidence in choosing China.
After the end of the Iraq war in 2003, China actively participated in Iraq's post-war reconstruction, not exploiting Iraq's disaster for profit like some countries, but sincerely helping Iraq restore its economy.
For example, in the oil and gas sector, China has been involved in the exploitation and management of at least one-third of Iraq's reserves and two-thirds of its production.
Therefore, Iraq's decision to continue cooperating with China is a logical choice.
Finally, the key to Iraq "betting" on China lies in China's own strong capabilities.
As the saying goes, "a large tree provides good shade." The "Strategic Development Road" that Iraq wants to create is not a "smooth road."
With numerous countries along the way, its economic value is enormous, but it also brings complex political, economic, and cultural issues. Without strong support, it is easy to fail.
Currently, Iraq is highly dependent on the U.S. in some areas, despite wanting to break free from this control, but the complex situation in the Middle East forces Iraq to bow to the U.S.
However, with Iraq's "Strategic Development Road" plan aligning with China's "Belt and Road" initiative, all these problems are solved.
After Iraq announced cooperation with China, Iran immediately expressed interest in the "Strategic Development Road" plan.
Iran plans to establish an "energy corridor" from Russia to the Persian Gulf. If implemented simultaneously with Iraq's plan, it will form two corridors: the "China-Middle East-Europe Transport Corridor" and the "Russia-Middle East-Europe Transport Corridor."
With the support of China and Russia, Iraq will more easily overcome the difficulties along the way.
Iraq's choice of China can be said to be "the popular choice" in the Middle East.
As Western countries increasingly reveal their hegemonic nature, the "Chinese solution" provides a new option for many peace-loving countries.
Iraq is the first step, but it will definitely not be the last.
In the future, more countries will make the right choice, and the Middle East will move away from war and conflict to achieve true peace and prosperity.
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