Red Star in the Morning, Business Warming: A Recent Visit by the Chinese President to the Middle East Shows the Growing Importance of the Arab World for China's Burgeoning Economy. Eamonn Gearon Examines the Different Aspects of This Cooperation and Wonders If America Should Be Worried

Gearon, Eamonn, The Middle East

THIS APRIL, CHINESE President Hu Jintao visited Saudi Arabia and Morocco, where he met with the leaders of both countries to sign a number of agreements, as well as laying the groundwork for future business deals. The timing of Hu's trip to the Middle East, immediately after his visit to the US, where Washington is clearly desirous of fostering closer ties with China, had many observers asking if it did not contain an implicit message or perhaps even a warning to the Americans not to imagine they are the only power with a role in the region.

President Hu's decision to visit Saudi Arabia just three months after King Abdullah was in Beijing also speaks volumes about both countries' recognition of the need for closer relations. Saudi Arabia is now China's biggest trading partner in the Middle East.

Abdullah's trip to China was the first by a Saudi king since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1990, not to mention the fact that Abdullah chose China as his first overseas destination since his August 2005 accession to the Saudi throne. While in Beijing the Saudis signed a number of trade agreements with the Chinese, which related not only to oil but also to gas and other natural resources.

During Hu's time in the Gulf, the nations of the region made it clear that they all recognise and …

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Publication information: Article title: Red Star in the Morning, Business Warming: A Recent Visit by the Chinese President to the Middle East Shows the Growing Importance of the Arab World for China's Burgeoning Economy. Eamonn Gearon Examines the Different Aspects of This Cooperation and Wonders If America Should Be Worried. Contributors: Gearon, Eamonn - Author. Magazine title: The Middle East. Issue: 369 Publication date: July 2006. Page number: 26+. © 2009 IC Publications Ltd. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group.

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