The energy deals come as Beijing shows increasing diplomatic dexterity in the Middle East. Other large Western energy companies already have stakes in North Field, as Qatar’s gas field is known. North Field is part of the world’s biggest gas field, which Qatar shares with Iran. Farther afield, two Chinese companies signed deals with Iraq to develop three oil-and-gas fields, as part of Baghdad’s efforts to increase power production. The recent energy deals “show the scale and multidimensionality of China’s strategy in the region," said John Calabrese, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, a think tank in Washington.

Source: Wall Street Journal April 22, 2023 19:31 UTC