China signs deal to build 1,000 schools in Iraq as Beijing pushes for greater role in Middle East after US withdrawals

The deal will see Power China and Sino Tech helping the Iraqi government’s plans to rebuild the education system after years of war
The country is now a major destination for Chinese investment in the Middle East and Beijing is the biggest buyer of Iraqi oil

Iraq

Laura Zhou

Published: 7:00pm, 19 Dec, 2021

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China has signed a deal to build 1,000 schools in Iraq as Beijing pushes for a bigger role in the Middle East while the United States retreats.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi oversaw the signing of 15 contracts on Thursday, with representatives of the Power Construction Corporation of China and Sino Tech.

According to the Iraqi News Agency, Power China will construct 679 schools and the other 321 will be built by Sino Tech.

This was part of a national project to build a total of 7,000 new schoolhouses as the government tries to reconstruct the education system after years of war.

According to Unicef, nearly 3.2 million school-aged Iraqi children have no access to school.

Thursday’s deals were signed two weeks after the US military announced that it had formally ended its combat mission 18 years after the US invaded to remove Saddam Hussein. However, some 2,500 US ground forces will stay in an advisory role.

US armed forces initially withdrew from the country in 2011, but former president Barack Obama then sent them back in 2014 after Islamic State militants seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

The troops remained there even after the militant group was driven from its last Iraqi stronghold in 2017.

US moves closer to repealing Saddam-era Iraq war powers

The announcement that they would be withdrawn this year reflected the US shift to the Asia-Pacific as US President Joe Biden’s administration prioritises on the challenge from China.

Meanwhile, China has been stepping up engagement with the Middle East to fill the gap left by the US in recent years.

During a phone conversation with Iraqi President Barham Salih in August, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would continue to support reconstruction efforts in the country.

According to the Chinese embassy in Baghdad, Iraq is now a major destination for Chinese investment in the Middle East, mostly in the oil industry. China is the largest buyer of oil produced in Iraq.

Chinese companies are also in talks to build more infrastructure in the country, from power supplies, communications to schools, water supplies, airports and railways.

Iraq withdrawal marks latest phase in US shift to Asia-Pacific

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed support for Iran’s “legitimate and reasonable claims” in resumed nuclear talks during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday.

Wang also said Beijing remained committed to developing its comprehensive strategic partnership with Iran, according to a foreign ministry statement.