China seeks to take its business to Syria in post-war rebuilding effort
With the China-Arab Association on its fourth trip to Syria this year, Beijing prepares to invest millions of dollars in the reconstruction of the war-torn nation
With Western powers reluctant to help rebuild Syria after its civil war, and Russia and Iran balking at the estimated quarter-trillion dollars it will cost, China is stepping in.
China-Arab Exchange Association vice-president Qin Yong, who is about to make his fourth trip to Syria this year, sees growing interest among Chinese companies.
“We get phone queries every day. They see huge business potential there, because the entire country needs to be rebuilt,” said Qin, adding that the enthusiasm is reciprocated on the Syrian side. “They’re like, don’t come tomorrow, come tonight.”
As the six-and-a-half-year war winds down, with Bashar al-Assad still in power, the battle for influence in Syria has shifted to the diplomatic arena. Reconstruction, which the United Nations says could cost US$250 billion, is a key part of it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared victory in his two-year military operation to shore up Assad, and is now appealing for international funds. At his annual press conference on December 14, Putin said Syria, whose conflict sparked the worst refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, will remain a breeding ground for extremist groups such as Islamic State without improved living standards.