FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Iraq: China must now step in

Iraq: China must now step in

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and toppled the Saddam Hussein government without authorisation from the United Nations.

The situation in the Middle East has now taken another dangerous turn with the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which poses a threat to China’s economic interests in the region. ISIS’s intention is to “build” a new state and remake the map of the Middle East.
China is the largest importer of Iraqi oil, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total. Seeking alternative energy resources and spreading the risks are makeshift strategies. China now needs to take pre-emptive measures to protect its economic interests in the region.
The world economy relies heavily on Middle East oil. So members of the international community should work together and take coordinated measures to overcome short-, mid- and long-term political and economic risks, because no resolution to the Middle East crisis looks in sight. Given these facts, China should not adopt an “ostrich policy” or decide to stay out of negotiations that deal with the changes in the region. Also, as a rising power, China cannot shy away from its international responsibilities.
Countries today have become so interdependent that unrest in a place like the Middle East could throw the entire international community off balance. To rule out the possibility of such a scenario, China has to take part in the construction of a global governance system. Perhaps, as a member of the G20, China could consider joining other member countries in tackling the ISIS menace in order to stabilise the situation in Iraq and boost the global economic recovery.
Formed after the 2008 global financial crisis, the G20 is a platform for the world’s leading political and economic powers. The combined economy of G20 member states accounts for 85 per cent of the world total, and experience shows that in terms of results the group is more effective than the UN. Therefore, the G20 is the ideal organisation to deal with the ISIS issue.
China should initiate the negotiations on urgent matters, including the Middle East crisis, under the G20 framework and take part in joint strikes against the ISIS if the consensus within G20 is to do so. It could even consider sending troops to Iraq to prevent the Islamic militants from sabotaging Iraq’s normal economic order and to protect global economic interests.
But even while doing all this, Beijing should continue its efforts to resolve the Middle East crisis peacefully through political means, and never waver from its principle that the future of Iraq should be decided by the Iraqi people. Furthermore, to ensure that the Iraqi people get to benefit from economic activities, the international community has to take steps to guarantee that oil production in Iraq continues smoothly.
The international community also has a responsibility to make up the gap in Iraq’s budget. In principle, the more oil a country imports from Iraq, the more money it should contribute to Iraq’s budget and the more troops it should send to the country to beef up its security.
But China will need to alter its foreign policy to make possible the actions discussed. Hence, the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, should issue laws granting the government powers to defend the country’s overseas interests. Since China has become an integral part of the world economy, it cannot stay away from matters global. Therefore, it should deepen its participation in discussions on global issues.
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