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Friday, December 30, 2011

A Note on China-Iran Relations

By Nader Uskowi

Iran’s oil exports to China this year amounted to 25% of all its oil exports, and growing: If the daily averages of China’s imports for the last two or three months are maintained (with many expecting them to actually rise), then in 2012 China will be importing nearly one-third of all Iran’s oil exports. Iran in return is importing Chinese goods on a massive scale.

China has truly become the lifeline of the Iranian economy, and one of the country’s remaining supporters at the world’s stage. In turn, Iran has truly become dependent on China, more so than the previous regime was dependent on the West.

Aside from the obvious negative implications of such a dependency for the country, there is a positive aspect to it, especially during these tense days: China remains the only country that can actually influence the Iranian policy, pushing it toward moderation. That’s what the Chinese vice foreign minister was doing in Tehran in the past 48 hours, and hopefully that’s what the Chinese will continue doing to avoid a military conflict involving Iran.

19 comments:

  1. Iran must be the only country importing China's garbage on a massive scale.

    Hope the USA ups the ante....if China supports the worlds leading terrorist state (IRAN), then the USA should should start building nuclear missile silos in Taiwan + give Taiwan the missile shield capabilities.

    http://www.statsweeper.com/index.php?g=daily.632

    http://www.statsweeper.com/index.php?g=daily.41

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  2. You misread constancy as change. Iran has always had good relations with, and been dependent upon, the worlds best manufacturers. 30-50 years ago that was the US. Today it's China and Germany.

    If you make the best products, Iran will always kiss up to you.

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  3. 10:36 are you really that clueless about China? Today is not 1960. Whatever the product China can produce the same or better quality for a lower price. They are no less than dominating the world economy.

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  4. Even more oil output coming online

    ///////////////////////////////////

    Libya's Largest Oil Port to Resume Exports


    By BENOIT FAUCON
    LONDON—Libya's largest oil port, Es-Sider, is on the cusp of restarting loadings, which would lift the most important hurdle standing in the way of a return to normal exports following the end of civil war, the country's oil chief said Thursday.

    Nuri Berruien, chairman of Libya's National Oil Co., said the terminal is expected to resume loadings in a "few days." Another oil official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the first loading was provisionally set for Jan. 2, with at least 10 cargoes—typically of 600,000 barrels each—expected next month.

    Es-Sider loaded 447,000 barrels a day in January 2011, according to the International Energy Agency, before becoming Libya's most heavily damaged terminal during the civil war. The need to repair the Es-Sider facility has been a stumbling block in the otherwise rapid recovery of the country's oil sector, in which output has remained around one million barrels a day the past two weeks.

    Es-Sider normally loads production from the giant Waha Oil Co., whose foreign partners include Marathon Oil Corp., ConocoPhillips and Hess Corp. Marathon confirmed some output had restarted at Waha Oil Co. but declined to comment further. The other two companies, meanwhile, didn't respond to requests for comment.

    The terminal also exports production from the Mabruk oil field, which Mr. Berruien said is "about to restart."

    Largely as a result of Es-Sider's restart, the NOC head said he expected Libya's production to reach 1.2 million barrels a day by the end of January.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204720204577130310626907468.html

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  5. Anonymous at December 30, 2011 10:36 AM said: QUOTE "if China supports the worlds leading terrorist state (IRAN)".Seriously?? Let's see which country or countries have killed more innocent civilians, started wars of choices, started or helped coups, helped Dictators, trained foreign secret services in torture.... History of past 70 years is clear and full of facts. And No Iran is not one of those countries.

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  6. Yes but if only there were a "moderating influence" on the United States. That's what would really make a difference in this situation, Nader.

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  7. Islamic regime in Iran kills people for wanting freedom.

    Communist regime in China kills people for wanting freedom.

    Iran and China are both dictatorships.And Iran supports a regime in Syria which has been killing thousands of Syrians likewise China suppresses and kills its minorities.

    Iran and China are both mafia states basing their strength on intimidation and terror and the cult of leadership.

    Anybody that supports those regimes is a hypocrite or the agent of the Islamic regime.

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  8. Numerically speaking, China and Iran together have killed no where near as many people as the United States has killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that Israel killed in Gaza and the West Bank.

    Numbers are a good thing. Learn to use them.

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  9. So long as the Chinese regime supports the Islamic regime they will remain the enemies of the Iranian nation.

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  10. Yes, Maybe Iran is guilty of jailing, torturing, and killing civilians due to politics but it does not even come close to superpowers who use nuclear bombs to eradicate cities in East Asia, use carpet bombings to destroy villages and kill hundreds of thousands of civilians in SE Asia and start one war after another war in SW Asia... No super powers of this planet are ahead of Iran by light years for destruction of innocence, life, liberty and property.

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  11. Indeed, let us hope that China can mediate and help find a peaceful and gracious way for Iran to maintain its dignity while proving to the world that it will not and CAN NOT assemble nuclear weapons secretly.

    let us move away from a drift toward war.

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  12. Anon December 30, 2011 2:00 PM

    If Iran had owned nuclear or WMD capabilities.......the world would be over.....Iran would use them every other day.......and you know I'm correct!

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  13. At Anon December 30, 2011 3:10 PM:

    No you are factually wrong! Only need to check the history.

    FACT: IRAN has not attacked any other country for centuries, why would it do now? Meanwhile IRAN has been attacked several times in that time and only defended itself. Stop listening to FOX news and its lies

    FACT: In the history of mankind only one country has used Thermonuclear devices against civilians and that was not IRAN.

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  14. Re: "Numerically speaking, China and Iran together have killed no where near as many people as the United States has killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that Israel killed in Gaza and the West Bank."

    What a ridiculous lie!! China's so-called "Great Leap Forward" and "Cultural Revolution" led to the deaths of tens of millions of innocent civilian men, women, and children.

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  15. Regime apologists Iranian regime kills Iranian people to stay in power.
    America does not kill Americans to stay in power.
    The disgusting regime kills Iranian people to stay in power.

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  16. One does not have to be regime apologist to tell the historical facts and point to the realities of history and how superpowers started wars and used the technology to secure and use resources of the planet to enrich themselves through destruction and support of some of the worse dictatorships. Telling the truth does not mean supporting Iranian regime. There is a lot wrong about the Iranian government and Iranian people certainly deserve better than this.

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  17. Mr.Uskowi, I am wondering how the huge trade influx of Chinese goods has effected Iranian economic, and more importantly, industrial growth and development? Iran smacked huge tariffs on imported goods in the past, to both spur and protect local industry. The automotive industry is an example of this. Is that a continued practice by the government of Iran, in relation to Chinese goods and services that are imported in the present day?

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  18. This website seems to be another mouthpiece for Gun Boat Diplomacy/ Western Imperialism/Stone Age Barbarism.

    Someone here must surely fit the profile of that less than 3-5% of select oligarchs that benefited immensely from the dictatorship of Shah, when the rich got richer and the masses were robbed and abused. Its so funny to see former oppressors and paragons of suppression during the horrible SAVAK era illuminating the air waves with angelic prose as if they were divinely appointed peace and freedom loving ambassadors for planet earth.

    Iran has never been more FREE!
    Oh, some Bush Sympathisers people here...whether you like it or not!Go IRAN...

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  19. Anon 2:11 PM

    Is it true that you are so out of your senses that you think the Shah and the SAVAK was worse than your present murderous rulers and their barbarous ways?
    Come on there is a saying in Iran...Khoda beamorz.
    Despite what the Shah did or didn't do the Iranian people know the truth after 33 years of lies stealing and killings by the so called Islamic republic of Iran.
    Now go and spin your hateful propaganda and lies elsewhere because Iranians have gone past people like you and your nonsense because they now know that the types of people that are ruling Iran today are the worse type of scum that ever existed in Iran's history even surpassing the mongol invasion of Iran.

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