https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/china-signs-deal-to-build-1000-model-schools-in-iraq/
This article is about how 2 major chinese companies have finalised a contract to build 1,000 schools all across Iraq for students in need. The deals were signed about a month ago at a ceremony attended by Li Daze, vice president of the Power Construction Corporation of China. There has been no actually trade value for the deal with China however in 2019 China agreed to build a wide range of construction projects in exchange for 100,000 barrels of oil. For the 100,000 barrels they reconstructed and built around 7,000 schools in modern in style. Chinese industry insiders said the contract is an “immediate help” to Iraq, where a lack of education opportunities have largely hindered the development and the country’s rebuilding efforts.
This is very important because 3.2 million Iraqi children outside the education system. In some areas of Iraq such as Salah al-Din north of Baghdad and Diyala to the east there over 90% of children are out of school. Iraq is currently in a rebuilding stage and getting younger generation educated is the first big step to this long process they are in. This will be a long-stalled construction project to reconstruct the war-torn Mideast country. China only agreed to do this project after the US announced it would formally end its combat mission in Iraq.
This relates to what we have been talking about in class that China is always looking to expand their power to many part of the world. Throughout the past couple decades China many time has loaned money to other weaker countries and will use this as leverage when other countries are unable to pay it back. This gives them more power which is what they want since they are looking to become the world’s strongest countries. Additionally, China not only looking to help Iraq develop in a better countries, China is also supports Iran’s ambitions to the oil and gas sector along the Caspian Sea to Southern Iranian ports through pipelines so the resources can be exported to Europe and Asia.