Transcript: Ep. 1 - The Arab Connection | Oct 23, 2018
ÿþ(music plays)Logo: TVF International.
Fast clips show people riding camels down the desert.
The narrator says IT WAS A
LEGENDARY TRADING ROUTE THAT
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
CONNECTED THE MIDDLE EAST WITH
ASIA, ANCIENT PERSIA WITH
ANCIENT CHINA.
IT STRETCHED THROUGH SOME OF
THE MOST RUGGED TERRAIN IN THE
WORLD.
DESERTS.
MOUNTAINS.
RAGING TORRENTS.
IT WAS CALLED THE SILK ROAD.
NOW, MODERN CHINA IS BUILDING
A NEW SILK ROAD CONNECTING
BEIJING TO THE WORLD,
AND IT IS FAST TAKING SHAPE.
ALREADY, THE WORLD'S LONGEST
RAILWAY CAN CARRY FREIGHT FROM
THE HEART OF INDUSTRIAL CHINA
TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPE.
THE WORLD'S LONGEST EXPRESSWAY
LINKING CHINA TO EUROPE OPENED
IN 2016.
Fast clips show images of the railway.
The narrator says THE NEW SILK ROAD HAS BROUGHT
AN AVALANCHE OF OIL REFINERIES,
MINES, FACTORIES, SHOPS, AND
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO
COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
A group of students say Thank heavens and thank the earth.
The narrator says CHINESE INVESTMENT IS RESHAPING
A DIFFICULT REGION.
People chant Down with the United States! Down with hypocrites!
A man with glasses says CHINA IS A VERY GOOD
ALTERNATIVE TO WESTERN PRODUCTS
AND GOODS.
A man in a gray suit says China is a very good alternative to western products and goods.
The narrator says THE SILK ROAD WILL
RESTRUCTURE THE WORLD'S MOST
IMPORTANT ENERGY SECTORS.
A man with white hair says CHINA IS BUYING INTO BOTH THE
SAUDI ARABIAN OIL STRUCTURE AND
ALSO THE IRANIAN.
VERY UNUSUAL GIVEN THAT THEY'RE
SUPPOSEDLY IMPLACABLE ENEMIES.
The narrator says I'M ANTHONY MORSE AND I'M
EMBARKING ON THIS EPIC JOURNEY
ALONG THE NEW SILK ROAD TO
INVESTIGATE HOW CHINA'S PLANS
WILL SHAPE THE MIDDLE EAST.
Anthony is in his late thirties, with short brown hair and a graying stubble. He wears jeans and a blue shirt.
In animation, a light beam travels across the cities the railroad joins.
The name of the show appears in yellow letters over a map. It reads The new Silk Road. Season 3.
Anthony says THE NEW SILK ROAD, ALSO KNOWN
AS THE ONE BELT, ONE ROAD PLAN,
IS A HUGELY AMBITIOUS
INITIATIVE LAUNCHED BY
PRESIDENT XI JINPING IN 2013.
IT WILL LINK UP 65 COUNTRIES
AND 4.4 BILLION PEOPLE.
THAT IS ABOUT 60 percent OF THE
WORLD'S POPULATION.
I'VE SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS
TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD TO
UNDERSTAND THIS PLAN, FROM
KYRGYZSTAN TO KAZAKHSTAN,
MALAYSIA TO INDONESIA,
SRI LANKA TO AFRICA,
INDIA TO GREECE.
I'VE TRAVELLED TO 12 COUNTRIES
TO SEE HOW CHINA'S PLAN HAS
IMPACTED MILLIONS OF LIVES.
A group of people in red T-shirts are formed as a voice says Attention! Now march, one, two, one, two, one.
Anthony says THIS YEAR, MY JOURNEY WILL
BEGIN IN CHINA, AND TAKE ME
THROUGH PAKISTAN AND THE MIDDLE
EAST.
An animated map shows Anthony's route.
A caption reads Anthony Morse.
Anthony says PAKISTAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST ARE
PLACES FILLED WITH SECURITY
CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC
PROBLEMS.
BUT NOW, CHINA'S SILK ROAD IS
BRINGING CHANGE, AND IT IS A
HIGH-STAKES GAME.
CHINESE COMPANIES MAY LOSE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF
INVESTMENTS GO SOUR, BUT IF
SUCCESSFUL, THE OPPORTUNITIES
ARE ENDLESS.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SILK
ROAD MAY BRING SOME STABILITY TO
THIS PROBLEMATIC REGION.
THERE ARE HUGE IMPLICATIONS.
A caption reads Middle Eastern oil producers now supply 34 percent of global output. Over one million Syrian refugees now in Europe. Over 350,000 people displaced in Marawi, Philippines by ISIS fighters.
Anthony says NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING
IN THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT FOR ALL
OF US AROUND THE WORLD WHO
DEPEND ON THE REGION FOR OIL...WHOSE LIVES ARE IMPACTED BY
THE REFUGEE CRISIS, AND WHOSE
HOMES COULD BE DESTROYED
BY RADICAL GROUPS FROM
THE MIDDLE EAST.
TO UNDERSTAND THIS
WORLD-CHANGING PLAN THAT CHINA
HAS, YOU NEED TO COME HERE
FIRST.
THIS IS NINGXIA, MY FIRST
STOP ALONG THE NEW SILK ROAD
CONNECTING CHINA TO
THE MIDDLE EAST.
THERE ARE VARIOUS ROUTES IN
CHINA'S NEW SILK ROAD, AND
DIFFERENT CHINESE CITIES HAVE
DIFFERENT DESIGNATED ROLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, GUANGZHOU ALONG THE
SOUTHERN COAST IS WHERE THE
MARITIME SILK ROAD BEGINS.
LANZHOU, IN CENTRAL CHINA,
CONNECTS TO THE SILK ROAD IN
KAZAKHSTAN AND CENTRAL ASIA.
AND NINGXIA, WHERE I AM RIGHT
NOW, IS THE START OF THE MIDDLE
EASTERN SILK ROAD.
THIS IS WHERE ARABIC LEADERS
COME IF THEY WANNA DO
BUSINESS WITH CHINA.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE CHINESE
COME IF THEY WANNA DO BUSINESS
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
ARAB-CHINESE INVESTMENT FLOWS
THROUGH THE CITY AND IT IS
BECAUSE OF THIS.
(CHANTING)
A clip shows a man chanting.
Anthony says NINGXIA HAS PROUD ISLAMIC
ROOTS.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 400 MOSQUES
HERE, AND ISLAMIC SCHOOLS HAVE
PRODUCED SOME 7,000 IMAMS
WHOSE STUDIES ARE SPONSORED BY
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
TO FIND OUT HOW THIS HAS COME
TO BE, I'M AT THE TONGXIN
MOSQUE.
BUILT OVER 1,300 YEARS AGO, IT
TELLS THE STORY OF HOW ISLAM
PENETRATED THE HEART OF CHINA.
TODAY IS FRIDAY AND HUI PEOPLE
FROM THE TOWN HAVE GATHERED FOR
FRIDAY PRAYERS.
THE HUIS ARE THE LARGEST GROUP
OF MUSLIMS IN CHINA.
PROFESSOR YUAN IS MY GUIDE TO
THIS UNIQUE CULTURE.
HE IS HUI AND ALSO A HISTORY
EXPERT.
Yuan is in his fifties, with short brown hair and clean-shaven. He wears jeans and a white shirt.
Yuan says Today is Friday, we're going to need this hat for the Friday prayers.
Anthony says SO I'LL NEED THIS FOR THE
MOSQUE?
Yuan says Right!
Anthony says AH.
XIÈXIÈ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE HUIS ARE AN 11 MILLION
STRONG GROUP THAT IS ALSO THE
SECOND LARGEST OF CHINA'S 55
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED ETHNIC
MINORITIES.
THE HUIS ARE CLOSELY CONNECTED
TO THE HISTORY OF THE OLD SILK
ROAD.
THEY ARE DESCENDANTS OF ARAB
AND PERSIAN MERCHANTS WHO
TRAVELLED HERE IN THE SEVENTH
CENTURY.
THE MERCHANTS MARRIED LOCAL
CHINESE WOMEN AND SETTLED HERE,
PLANTING THE ROOTS OF ISLAM IN
CHINA.
I'M NOT MUSLIM, BUT THEY HAVE
GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED ME TO
PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CEREMONY,
AND IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE
HUIS TO WELCOME THEIR CURIOUS
CHINESE COUNTERPARTS FROM TIME
TO TIME.
THIS MOSQUE IS VERY INTERESTING
IN THAT IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A
CHINESE TEMPLE.
CAN YOU TELL ME THE HISTORY OF
THIS PLACE?
The caption changes to Professor Yuan Wen Yuan. China-Arab Institute, Ningxia University.
Yuan says This mosque was built during the Ming dynasty by Emperor Zhu YuanZhang. Many Muslim Hui generals helped the Emperor to fight victorious wars and establish the dynasty. So when he claimed the throne, the emperor's edict was to build mosques all over China in Nanjing, Xian, and also here in Tongxin to thank his Hui generals. The architecture is totally different from recent designs of mosques. Islam has been in China for over 1300 years but the Arabic style of construction with their domes and minarets only happened in recent decades. Mosques from previous centuries simply utilized traditional Chinese architecture styles.
Anthony says I SEE.
SO THIS THEN IS REALLY A FUSION
OF ISLAMIC AND CHINESE CULTURES.
Yuan says Yes, that's right. When Islam entered China, it fused and adopted practices here. I think what we have here is a uniquely Chinese version of Islam.
Anthony says NINGXIA HAS THE HIGHEST
CONCENTRATION OF HUI PEOPLE IN
ALL OF CHINA.
MUSLIM HUIS FORM ONE THIRD OF
THE POPULATION IN THIS
PROVINCE.
NO SURPRISE, THEN, THAT NINGXIA
HAS EXTENSIVE LINKS TO OTHER
MUSLIM NATIONS, WHETHER THROUGH
FAITH, FOOD, OR FINANCE.
IS THIS PLACE THE ONE WITH THE
STRONGEST TIES TO THE MIDDLE
EAST?
Yuan says Yes. We have more and more businessmen from the Middle East working with us. This follows from a long and ancient history of trade. During the times of the ancient Silk Road. Many traders from East and West Asia, Persia and Arabia came here on their camels. These business activities have continued till today. We have Hui people here so we export Halal beef and lamb to the Middle East with ease for example.
The caption changes to Ningxia's Capital City: Yinchuan.
Anthony says NINGXIA HAS BEEN ALLOCATED A
SPECIAL ROLE ON CHINA'S NEW
SILK ROAD.
THE CITY WILL BE THE ENVOY TO
ARAB NATIONS, AND IT IS HOSTING
A PARTY OF STAGGERING SCALE TO
CELEBRATE.
ALL OF THESE FLOWERS HAVE BEEN
SET UP TO WELCOME DELEGATES FROM
THE MIDDLE EAST.
THIS IS THE CHINA-ARAB EXPO OF
NINGXIA.
A HUGE NATIONAL EVENT ATTENDED
BY HEADS OF STATES FROM THE
MIDDLE EAST, HIGH LEVEL
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM
CHINA, AND HORDES OF
BUSINESSPEOPLE AND JOURNALISTS.
HERE'S A SNAZZY VIDEO PRODUCED
BY THE CHINA TEAM JUST FOR THE
EVENT.
(EPIC MUSIC PLAYING)
An animated video shows a massive solar power plant in the desert capturing energy from the sun. Then light beams travel across streets to form the logo of the expo.
A caption reads Li Jianhua, Ningxia Party Secretary. September 6, 2017. Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Behind a lectern, Li addresses the audience.
Li is in his sixties, balding and clean-shaven and wears a black suit, a white shirt and a printed tie.
He says This China-Arab expo is an important platform of the One Belt One Road (New Silk Road) and it has helped improve bilateral and business ties. China and Arab states will jointly build a cooperation platform, jointly enjoy prosperity and results, jointly decide on our partnership blueprint. We welcome you to Ningxia.
Anthony says MINISTERS FROM AFGHANISTAN,
MAURITANIA, AND EGYPT TOOK TO
THE STAGE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
SUPPORT FOR THE NEW SILK ROAD,
ALSO KNOWN AS THE ONE BELT AND
ROAD.
THIS EXPO IS WHERE MANY OF
CHINA'S DEALS WITH THE MIDDLE
EAST ARE INKED, AND IT HAS BEEN
A STAGGERING AMOUNT.
CHINA SIGNED DEALS WITH JORDAN,
EGYPT, AND A LONG LIST OF
OTHER COUNTRIES.
IN TOTAL, MORE THAN 1,000
AGREEMENTS WORTH OVER
90 BILLION US DOLLARS WERE SECURED
AT THE EXPOS.
The caption changes to China-Jordan deals: 3 billion dollars. China-Egypt deals: 15 billion dollars.
Anthony says BESIDES AN AVALANCHE OF
DEAL-SIGNING CEREMONIES, A
MAJOR EXHIBITION HAS ALSO BEEN
SET UP TO SHOWCASE CHINA'S
PARTNERSHIP WITH DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES.
THIS PLACE IS HUGE!
I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND FOR A
COUPLE OF HOURS AND I'VE ONLY
COVERED HALF THE SPACE.
THERE ARE ENDLESS EXAMPLES OF
CHINESE COMPANIES PARTNERING
WITH MIDDLE EASTERN COMPANIES.
THIS IS A REBALANCING OF GLOBAL
RELATIONS AT WORK.
THE MIDDLE EAST DIDN'T HAVE
SUCH EXTENSIVE TIES WITH CHINA.
NOW IT DOES.
DISPLAYED HERE ARE PLANS ON HOW
THE NEW SILK ROAD WILL
TRANSFORM THE MIDDLE EAST AND
CREATE A NEW WORLD ORDER.
(music plays)
Anthony says I'M IN NINGXIA, IN CHINA,
START OF THE MODERN SILK ROAD
CONNECTING CHINA TO THE MIDDLE
EAST.
TODAY, THE GOVERNMENTS AND
BUSINESS LEADERS FROM BOTH
SIDES ARE GATHERED AT THE
CHINA-ARAB EXPO.
CHINA HAS IMPRESSIVE PLANS FOR
THE SILK ROAD IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, AND I'M HERE TO CHECK IT
OUT.
INSIDE THE HALL, THERE ARE
BOOTHS FROM 47 COUNTRIES AND
OVER 1,000 COMPANIES.
AMONGST THE BIGGEST IS A BOOTH
SET UP BY THE EGYPTIANS.
(MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC PLAYING)
People gather to see a puppeteer perform.
(SHOUTING)
(APPLAUSE)
Anthony says AND IT'S NOT ALL SONG AND
DANCE.
THE EGYPTIAN INVESTMENT
AUTHORITY TELLS ME THAT THE NEW
SILK ROAD IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR
THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT.
WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES HERE AT
THE EXPO?
The caption changes to Mohamed Youssef. Undersecretary, Egypt Ministry of Investment.
Mohamed is in his fifties, with very short gray hair and wears a blue suit, white shirt and brown tie.
Mohamed says I'm coming, of course, proud to promote Egypt and Chinese cooperation and I hope to attract the biggest companies in power stations, in energy, in industry and in all infrastructure activities.
Anthony says BIG PLANS ARE UNDERWAY INDEED.
CHINA'S BUILDING HIGH-SPEED
TRAINS IN EGYPT, INDUSTRIAL
PARKS, AND A NEW CAPITAL CITY.
THESE AGREEMENTS ARE WORTH A
WHOPPING 15 BILLION US DOLLARS.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT CHINESE
INVESTMENT?
HAS IT EXCEEDED INVESTMENT
INFLOW FROM THE WEST?
Mohamed says Yes. From 2-3 years ago, Chinese companies are newcomers in a large scale. Not small and medium sized like they were before. One of the biggest industrial parks in Egypt is TEDA- the Chinese Industrial Investor Developer Park.
Anthony says HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE EGYPT'S
RECEPTION OF CHINA BUSINESS?
Mohamed says Look I'm proud to promote Egypt. It's a great country, it's the biggest country (in Arabia). For China, it's the same. China has culture and history. We were the first from the Middle East to establish political relations with China. Egypt gives very much importance to the Chinese.
Anthony says AND IT'S NOT JUST EGYPT THAT'S
EAGER TO PARTNER CHINA.
A LONG LIST OF COUNTRIES FROM
THE MIDDLE EAST HAVE BOOTHS TO
ATTRACT INVESTMENTS.
OTHER MUSLIM MAJORITY NATIONS
OUTSIDE THE MIDDLE EAST, LIKE
PAKISTAN, MALAYSIA, AND GHANA,
HAVE ALSO SENT DELEGATIONS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF
MUSLIM BUSINESSMEN OF DIFFERENT
NATIONALITIES.
THERE ARE OTHER ISLAMIC TRADE
EXPOS ORGANIZED BY DUBAI AND
MALAYSIA, BUT IT'S ONLY
COMMUNIST CHINA THAT HAS MANAGED
TO PULL OFF SOMETHING OF THIS
SCALE.
(SAMBA MUSIC PLAYING)
AND I THINK IT'S ONLY IN CHINA
WHERE YOU WILL FIND SAMBA
DANCERS AT AN ARAB STATES
EVENT, PERFORMING RIGHT
OPPOSITE THE SAUDI ARABIA
BOOTH, NO LESS.
THOUSANDS OF ARAB BUSINESSES
ARE ALSO HERE TO PITCH DEALS.
HI, THERE.
Elie says HELLO.
Elie is in his forties, with short brown hair and a thick beard. He wears glasses, a blue suit, striped shirt and blue tie.
Anthony says I'M ANTHONY.
Elie says ELIE.
Anthony says GOOD TO MEET YOU, ELIE.
Elie says YOU'RE WELCOME.
Anthony says SO TELL ME, HOW IS BUSINESS
GOING?
Elie says IT'S GOOD.
Anthony says YEAH?
Elie says IT'S GOOD.
Anthony says CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHY YOU CHOSE TO COME HERE
TO THE EXPO?
The caption changes to Elie Kazzi. Export Manager, Al Kazzi Nuts.
Elie says WE'RE HERE TO SELL OUR
PRODUCTS, OUR LEBANESE TASTY
PRODUCTS, LEBANESE FLAVOUR.
YOU CAN TASTE IT.
Anthony says OH, YEAH, SURE.
Elie says YEAH, WE PRODUCE NUTS WITH
LEBANESE FLAVOUR.
Anthony says DELICIOUS!
Elie says THANK YOU.
AND UH, WE ARE SEEKING FOR
ENTERING THE CHINESE MARKET.
IF ONE PERCENT OF THE CHINESE
PEOPLE WILL EAT OUR NUTS, WE
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SELL
ANYWHERE ELSE.
THEY WILL TAKE ALL OUR
PRODUCTION CAPACITY, AND WE WILL
BE GROWING, FOR SURE.
Anthony says THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S GOOD
FOR YOU.
Elie says THANK YOU.
A visitor says CAN I TAKE ONE NOW?
Elie says YEAH, SURE YOU CAN!
The visitor says THAT'S GREAT.
Anthony says THIS EXPO IS ALSO AN
EXCELLENT MARKETING PLATFORM
FOR CHINESE STATE-OWNED
ENTERPRISES.
OVER 100 OF THEM ARE HERE
PITCHING THEIR SERVICES.
CHINESE FIRMS CAN HELP TO GROW
FOOD, IMPROVE MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES, OR LOAN YOU MONEY.
A robot says Pleased to meet you and welcome to Bank of China! We provide a new choice- Renminbi services for your global trade and financial needs! We inject vigor into your business!
Anthony says CHINESE COMPANIES CAN ALSO
SET UP COMPUTING AND INFOCOM
NEEDS FOR AN ENTIRE COUNTRY.
A video rolls on a wall screen. Subtitles read China Unicom is becoming an integrated cloud and data service provider.
Anthony says THAT'S NOT ALL.
THERE ARE ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE
COMPANIES, POWER COMPANIES,
SOLAR ENERGY COMPANIES, AND OF
COURSE, THE HOT FAVOURITE-
CHINESE HIGH-SPEED TRAINS.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY SOLD TO 102
COUNTRIES.
THEY SET UP A SIMULATION
EXPERIENCE HERE, AND I WANNA
GIVE IT A GO.
SO CAN I GIVE IT A TRY?
The man in charge says YES, YES.
Anthony says LOOK, I EVEN GET TO TEST
DRIVE A TRAIN.
ALL RIGHT!
The man says FORWARD.
Anthony pushes the lever says FORWARD?
The man says YES.
Anthony says AM I GOING TOO FAST RIGHT
NOW?
The man says SPEED?
Anthony says 190.
9,700?
OKAY.
AND THIS TRAIN SHOULD GO UP TO...
CAN GO UP TO 300, RIGHT?
'CAUSE THIS IS A HIGH-SPEED
RAIL.
The man says YES.
Anthony says CHINESE COMPANIES ARE HERE
TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO EVERY
GOVERNING PROBLEM IMAGINABLE.
AND I CAN SEE WHY SO MANY
OFFICIALS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
HAVE COME HERE TO SHOP.
HERE, A MINISTER FROM MOROCCO
IS THINKING ABOUT BUYING SOME
BUSSES.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THIS
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S CERTAINLY NO US-ARAB
STATES EXPO, NO EUROPE-ARAB
STATES EXPO, AND WHAT'S MORE,
CHINA HAS MANAGED TO BRING RIVAL
MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES LIKE
SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAN UNDER ONE
ROOF FOR THE PURPOSE OF
BUSINESS.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS
IMPRESSIVE, AND THE BELT AND
ROAD DEALS SOUND PROMISING, BUT
ARE ALL THESE GOVERNMENT
AGREEMENTS REALLY HAVING IMPACT
ON THE GROUND?
Anthony interviews Einar Tangen.
The caption changes to Einar Tangen. Political Analyst.
Einar is in his fifties, with short receding white hair and wears glasses, a black suit, white shirt and printed pink tie.
Anthony says WE'VE SEEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS'
WORTH OF INVESTMENTS BEING INKED
AT THE CHINA-ARAB EXPO, BUT WHAT
ARE ALL THESE INVESTMENTS?
WHAT KIND OF ON-THE-GROUND
IMPACT ARE THEY HAVING IN THE
MIDDLE EAST?
Einar says IN MANY WAYS, WHERE WTO WAS
ABOUT THESE BIG AGREEMENTS AND
LARGE COMPANIES COULD BENEFIT
FROM THAT, THE BELT AND ROAD
ACTUALLY OFFERS A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT TO SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
BUSINESS ENTITIES.
'CAUSE YOU JUST LOAD IT IN AT
ONE END AND IT EMERGES AT THE
OTHER, AND IT'S A MEANS AND
METHODOLOGY WHICH WAS NOT AS
AVAILABLE UNLESS YOU WERE A BIG,
BIG COMPANY AND YOU COULD GET
THE PORTS AND PUT UP THE RAIL
LINES AND ROAD LINES TO GET YOUR
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OR GLOBAL
SUPPLY CHAIN CONNECTED.
SO, IT'S A VERY, VERY BIG SEA
CHANGE IN TERMS OF WHO COULD
POSSIBLY BENEFIT.
NOW, IN TERMS OF THE MIDDLE
EAST, GOING BACK, HOW WILL IT
BENEFIT ON THE GROUND?
A LOT DEPENDS ON HOW THESE
INDIVIDUALS AND COUNTRIES REACT
TO THIS AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE
CONNECTIONS CAN BE MADE.
Anthony says DO YOU THINK CHINESE
INVESTMENT IN THE NEW SILK ROAD
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY IN
THE MIDDLE EAST?
Einar says IT SHOULD IN THEORY.
I MEAN, THE INCREDIBLE THING IS,
YOU KNOW, AS WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST
OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE SIGNED ON
TO BELT AND ROAD, MANY OF THEM
ARE JUST HARD-CORE ENEMIES.
YOU HAVE IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA
AND ISRAEL AND PALESTINE.
EVERYBODY.
AND IT'S BASICALLY OPEN.
SO I THINK PERHAPS THIS COULD BE
A NEW TEMPLATE FOR SOLVING
AGE-OLD ISSUES.
LISTEN, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET
INTO THE POLITICS AND RELIGIOUS
ISSUES IF WE COULD JUST TRADE
AND START CREATING A BETTER
ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE HERE.
Anthony says CHINESE ACADEMIC LI GUOFU
AGREES.
He says When Xi Jinping visited Cairo, he made a very significant speech in the headquarters of Arab League. He said, "The Middle East is a land full of oil resources but, at the same time, this land is also full of conflicts and troubles." What we believe is needed most of this region is for people not to feel so angry. What China is going to do is, we try to help economic developments and in this way, to provide the hopes for the young people. When people have the hopes, people have the jobs, they believe that they can have a decent life. That kind of beliefs or hopes will keep them from their radicalism or from the terrorism.
Anthony says AS THE CHINA-ARAB EXPO
DEMONSTRATES, THE MODERN SILK
ROAD TO THE MIDDLE EAST IS
PROGRESSING AT FULL SPEED,
WITH DEALS BEING STRUCK IN THE
CORRIDORS OF POWER.
BUT THE SILK ROAD ISN'T JUST
ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND BIG
BUSINESS.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE LITTLE
GUYS- THE TRADERS AND MERCHANTS
AND MANUFACTURERS.
AND FOR THAT STORY, I'M HEADED
TO YIWU, LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHERN COAST OF CHINA.
THIS IS THE LITTLE ARAB OF
CHINA.
(music plays)
Anthony says I'M TRAVELLING ON CHINA'S NEW
SILK ROAD, AND I'VE COME TO
YIWU, ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST
OF CHINA.
YOU MAY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS
PLACE, BUT YOU ARE LIKELY TO
OWN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN
MANUFACTURED HERE.
SOFT TOY, BALLOONS, JEWELLERY.
THIS IS WHERE THE ONE DOLLAR
STORE GETS ITS PRODUCTS.
WHAT I SAW IN NINGXIA ARE THE
GENERALS OF THE NEW SILK ROAD,
THE LEADERS AND BOSSES WHO ARE
CHARTING A NEW TRADE PATH.
WHAT YIWU HAS ARE THE FOOT
SOLDIERS OF THE SILK ROAD.
THOUSANDS OF TRADERS FROM ARAB
COUNTRIES AND ALL OVER THE
WORLD COME HERE.
AND THEY ARE HERE FOR THIS-
THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CITY,
THE WORLD'S LARGEST SMALL
COMMODITIES MARKET.
He sits next to a bright pink teddy bear and says LOOKS LIKE I FOUND A FRIEND
HERE.
THIS PLACE HAS OVER 200,000
SHOPS CATERING TO 200,000
VISITORS DAILY.
THE FLOOR SPACE TAKES UP
6.4 MILLION SQUARE METRES,
EQUIVALENT TO OVER
1,000 FOOTBALL FIELDS.
YOU'LL FIND ALL KINDS OF GOODS
HERE.
AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT
WALKING AROUND THIS MAZE OF A
MALL WITHOUT A GUIDE.
YOU CAN GET LOST.
REALLY LOST.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL
TAKE MORE THAN ONE YEAR TO
CHECK OUT ALL THE SHOPS.
ONE YEAR!
IMAGINE THAT.
IT'S WHY THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
SHOPPING AGENTS WORKING HERE TO
HELP CONFUSED BUYERS LIKE ME.
Anthony says HI!
Su says ARE YOU SHOPPING?
HI, NICE TO MEET YOU.
Anthony says HEY, I'M ANTHONY.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
THIS PLACE IS HUGE!
Su says YEAH.
Anthony says THIS WAY?
Su says THIS WAY.
Anthony says ALL RIGHT, LET'S CHECK IT
OUT.
YOU'RE AN AGENT.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK.
The caption changes to Su Xiaobing. Shopping Agent.
Su is in his forties, with short graying hair and wears gray sweatpants and a gray T-shirt.
Su says I bring clients from the Middle East to source for goods.
Anthony says AND I UNDERSTAND YOU SPEAK
FLUENT ARABIC?
Su says in Arabic Hello, how are you? I studied Arabic in Egypt for 2 years.
Anthony says WOW, VERY IMPRESSIVE.
Su says in Mandarin I studied Arabic in Egypt for 2 years.
Anthony says NOW, WHAT ABOUT THE BUYERS FROM
THE MIDDLE EAST?
WHAT DO THEY NORMALLY BUY HERE?
Su says Middle Eastern clients buy clothes, art, decoration, hardware. All kinds of things.
Anthony says ALL RIGHT.
LET'S DO SOME SHOPPING.
SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS.
Su says OKAY, OKAY, LET'S GO.
Anthony says SOUNDS GOOD.
A zoom montage shows them walking from shop to shop.
Anthony says SO, WHERE TO NEXT?
Su says Let's look at this shop.
Anthony says OH, IN HERE?
Su says YEAH.
Anthony says OH, WOW.
Anthony says Hello boss. Nice to meet you.
Anthony says LAOBAN, IF I WANTED TO BUY
THIS PICTURE HERE, HOW MUCH
WOULD ONE UNIT COST?
The caption changes to Ma Renqu. Owner, Renqu Art Frame.
Ma is in his fifties, balding and clean-shaven. He wears jeans and a blue polo T-shirt.
Ma says If you buy just one, it costs 73 RMB. (11 US DOLLARS).
Su says What is the wholesale price?
Ma says If you buy a large volume, I can give it to you at 66 RMB. (10 US DOLLARS) You must buy a lot though.
Ma says 66.
Anthony says 66?
Ma says YEAH.
Anthony says ACTUALLY THAT'S NOT BAD FOR
THE WORKMANSHIP.
OKAY.
WHAT ELSE?
WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE IN HERE?
IS THERE MORE THAN WE CAN SEE
INSIDE?
Su says Show us some of your new designs inside.
Anthony says MISTER MA SPECIALIZES IN
ISLAMIC ART.
HIS FACTORY PRODUCES INTRICATE
CARVINGS OF QURANIC VERSES AND
MECCA.
Ma says We specialize in goods for the Middle East because there are more customers from that region than anywhere else. Our goods sell better. The market is bigger there.
A I'VE SEEN SIMILAR PRODUCTS LIKE
THIS IN MARKETS IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, AND THE VENDORS THERE TELL
ME THAT THEY'RE LOCALLY MADE.
Su says Yup this happens. People buy goods here, and pass them off as something made in those countries. It happens.
Anthony says NOW I KNOW.
THIS IS NOT MADE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST&
Souvenirs from Dubai, Oman and Qatar appear.
Anthony says AND THIS IS NOT MADE IN
DUBAI, OR OMAN, OR QATAR.
A LOT OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE ARABIC
ART IS PROBABLY MADE IN CHINA.
YIWU HAS GOTTEN A REPUTATION
AS THE LITTLE ARAB OF CHINA
BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF ARAB
BUSINESSMEN WHO COME HERE.
AND THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THE
INCREDIBLE BUSINESS EFFICIENCY.
Su says After we place the orders for clients, we book the containers for them, sort out the logistics. We clear customs paperwork. It takes about 40 days for the goods to reach clients in Jordan for example. For Egypt and Palestine, the goods arrive there within a month.
Anthony says THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF AGENTS
LIKE SU XIAOBING WHO GET A
COMMISSION FROM EACH
SUCCESSFUL DEAL.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME
FOREIGNERS WHO HAVE DECIDED TO
CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN.
I'VE ARRANGED TO MEET ONE SUCH
MAN.
AH, HELLO MR. HAMID?
Hamid says YEAH, YEAH.
The caption changes to Hamid Dehghani. Iranian businessman.
Hamid is in his forties, with short wavy red hair and wears dark blue trousers, a blue shirt and a dark blue tie.
Anthony says HI, I'M ANTHONY.
GOOD TO MEET YOU!
Hamid says THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
Anthony says TODAY, HAMID IS HELPING A
FELLOW IRANIAN TO PROCURE
HEADSCARVES.
MAJID HAS SEEN A DESIGN HE
LIKES, AND HE WANTS IT COPIED
IN CHINA.
Majid is in his forties, with short brown hair and a beard and wears black trousers and a striped black, white and pink polo T-shirt.
Hamid says If you can find the right cotton for us, we want to take 60, 000 scarves.
A shop owner says With prints on them?
Hamid says Yes. It is hard if you only have a picture. She needs a sample scarf to assess the feel, the thickness, thread density. These details matter.
The shop owner says Bring a sample, it is clearer.
Majid says Alright! I'll definitely bring one tomorrow or the day after.
Anthony says AND IT'S A DONE DEAL.
60,000 SCARVES WILL BE
DELIVERED IN 20 DAYS, ONCE THE
BOSS RECEIVES THE SAMPLES.
Hamid says Let me tell you Majid, 20 days to complete your order is pretty decent. All the factories in Zhejiang have to adhere to strict environmental standards now, this has added to production time and people can't deliver your order in 1 or even 2 months. But this lady boss here is capable of delivering! Others can't meet your demands.
Majid says That's true. This boss has always delivered the right colours and products time and again. She's been a great help. She's great!
Hamid says to the shop owner We shall not disturb you further. When more clients arrive, we will come again. Thank you very much.
They walk to another shop.
Hamid says Let's check out the next shop. My client has ordered scarves there. I need to check on the order.
Hamid goes to second shop.
Hamid says Hi boss, how are you?
The shop owner says Hello Mr. Hamid. You're looking handsome today!
Hamid says I'm handsome everyday!
The woman says Well you're particularly dashing today.
Hamid says What's happening with the orders we made a few days ago?
The woman says It's in process.
Hamid says No problems?
The woman says Nope. None at all.
Anthony says THIS SHOP IS ONE OF OVER 500
STORES MANUFACTURING
HEADSCARVES IN THIS MARKET.
HAMID STILL HAS A LONG LIST OF
SUPPLIERS TO VISIT, SO I HAVE
TO MAKE MY QUESTIONS QUICK.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOUR
BUSINESS WORKS?
Hamid says We are exporting headscarves to Iran. Clients from Iran bring their own patterns and designs here. We design it in China on computers based on the preferences of Iranian customers, we match the colours and produce them.
Anthony says BUT CAN'T ALL THESE GOODS BE
MANUFACTURED IN IRAN?
Hamid says We can't produce this in Iran because the machinery and facilities are not there. And the second factor is that costs there- labour, overtime etcetera, will be very high. It is more cost efficient in China.
Anthony says SO BUSINESS MUST BE GOOD?
PROFIT ARE UP?
Hamid smiles and says That's a secret. I can't tell you.
(music plays)
Anthony says THE ARRIVAL OF THESE MIDDLE
EASTERN TRADERS ECHOES THE
ARRIVAL OF THEIR ANCESTORS ON
THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD THOUSANDS
OF YEARS AGO.
THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD IS REALLY
A MEMORIAL TO THE POWER OF
THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL
TRADERS.
AND FOR THE NEW SILK ROAD TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL ALSO DEPEND
ON THE BUSINESSMEN AND
ENTREPRENEURS WHO PLY THE ROAD.
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THESE
SMALL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS.
IN 2014, YIWU EXPORTED
77 MILLION US DOLLARS WORTH OF
SMALL PLASTIC DECORATIONS... 44 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF
UNNAMED PLASTIC MANUFACTURED
PRODUCTS... 36 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH
OF IMITATION JEWELLERY.
THAT'S ALL IN JUST ONE MONTH.
AND IN 2016, THIS CITY EXPORTED
MORE THAN 17 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF
PRODUCTS.
The caption changes to 17.2 billion dollars in exports in 2016.
Anthony says THAT'S MORE THAN THE ANNUAL GDP
OF COUNTRIES LIKE LAOS OR
BRUNEI.
YIWU HOSTS BUYERS FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD, FROM EUROPE TO LATIN
AMERICA TO SOUTHEAST ASIA.
BUT IT'S THE LARGE NUMBER OF
MIDDLE EASTERN TRADERS THAT
GIVES YIWU ITS REPUTATION OF
BEING LITTLE ARAB IN CHINA.
AND THERE'S BEEN AN EXPLOSION
IN THE CULINARY SCENE.
DOZENS OF MIDDLE EASTERN
RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN
THE CITY TO CATER TO THESE
TRADERS.
AND IN THE PROCESS OF BUSINESS,
THE SPARKS OF ROMANCE HAVE ALSO
BEEN IGNITED.
I'M MEETING A JORDANIAN
RESTAURANT OWNER WHO MARRIED A
CHINESE WIFE.
SO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STORY.
HOW DID YOU GUYS MEET AND FALL
IN LOVE?
Liu Fang is in her thirties and wears a yellow hijab and a printed white and yellow dress.
She says It was in 2002, we met in Guangzhou and at the end of 2002, we got married. Back then, there were few people marrying foreigners.
Anthony says YOU BOTH COME FROM DIFFERENT
CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS.
WERE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM
YOUR FAMILIES WHEN YOU FIRST
MET?
Liu says Yes my family opposed it. Middle Eastern culture is different. In his country, you can marry 4 wives. My family was against this! But my husband worked hard with me to convince my family of his sincerity. Polygamy may be allowed but not everyone would do it.
The caption changes to Mohanad Ali Mohd Shalabi.
Mohanad is in his thirties, clean-shaven, with very short brown hair and wears a white T-shirt.
He says It's my business. Nothing to do with my family in Jordan. My family wasn't living with me in China. I'm living alone here so my family needs to understand that I need support here.
Anthony says WHAT ABOUT TODAY?
ARE YOUR FAMILIES SUPPORTIVE OF
YOUR MARRIAGE?
Mohanad says Things have changed now. My family has come here to China, and we've visited Arabia. They didn't know my wife at first. Now they know and like her.
Anthony says SO WHAT ABOUT THE NEW SILK ROAD?
AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE MORE
PEOPLE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
COMING HERE, ARE YOU SEEING AN
INCREASE IN CROSS-CULTURAL
MARRIAGES?
Mohanad says The New Silk Road has brought many foreigners to Yiwu for business. Many of them like living here so they marry Chinese people. I know many such people, who marry locals and make a good life here.
Liu says The New Silk Road has brought many youths from the Middle East to China, to Yiwu. They find they have a high happiness index here, so many of them are choosing Chinese wives.
Anthony says WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THE SILK
ROAD OF TRADE, BUT HERE'S
SOMETHING YOU DON'T OFTEN HEAR
DISCUSSED- THE NEW SILK ROAD OF
LOVE.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT YOU
THINK THESE INTER-MARRIAGES,
WHAT IMPACT THEY'LL HAVE?
Einar says THIS LOVE STORY HAS BEEN
GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
A TRADER COMING IN AND MARRYING
A LOCAL GIRL OR MAN OR WHATEVER.
THEY HAVE-- AUTOMATICALLY THEY
HAVE A-- IT MIGHT BE LOVE BUT
IT'S ALSO VERY PRACTICAL,
BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE A WEB OF
CONNECTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING,
YOU HAVE SOMEBODY YOU CAN TRUST
WHO CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE
SITUATION IS, AND THERE'S AN
EXCHANGE OF CULTURES.
Anthony says SO IT'S NOT JUST GOOD FOR
ROMANCE- IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR
BUSINESS.
AND WITH MORE INTER-MARRIAGES
COME A NEW GENERATION OF SILK
ROAD AMBASSADORS.
THIS IS YIWU, A CITY IN CHINA
KNOWN AS LITTLE ARAB BECAUSE
OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM
THE MIDDLE EAST LIVING HERE.
YOU'LL FIND THEM IN THE CITY'S
MALLS AND RESTAURANTS, AND ALSO
IN LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M HERE AT A LOCAL PUBLIC
SCHOOL AND I'M TOLD THERE ARE
MANY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
STUDYING HERE AND I'M ABOUT TO
MEET THEM.
HEY, HI.
(STUDENTS RESPONDING IN UNISON)
Kids say Hello!
Anthony says My name is Anthony.
The kids say Nice to meet you Anthony!
Anthony says I'm from Singapore. What about you?
A boy says I'm from Yemen.
Anthony says How about you?
Another boy says Iran.
Anthony says SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING, A
CLAPPING GAME?
A student says YES.
Anthony says YEAH?
(RANDOM CLAPPING)
Anthony says Good job guys! Good job!
Anthony says VERY GOOD JOB!
YAY, GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB!
THERE IS A SERIOUS PURPOSE TO
ALL THESE FUN AND GAMES.
IT IS PART OF THE SCHOOL'S
PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN
STUDENTS.
HOW DOES YOUR SCHOOL HELP THE
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ADJUST
HERE?
The caption changes to Chen Hua Yan. Head of Curriculum. Yiwu Special Economic Zone Primary School.
Chen is in her forties, with long straight black hair with a thick fringe and wears printed trousers and a blue T-shirt.
Chen says When they enter at primary 1, we have specialist teachers who organize a psychology support class for foreign students only, to help them adapt. The focus of the class is group games. Through games, they interact, use language, it helps them to feel like less of a stranger. Games help them to build a sense of intimacy with each other.
Anthony says NOW, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
NEW SILK ROAD, DO YOU FIND THAT
THERE ARE MORE FOREIGN
STUDENTS COMING HERE?
Chen says Yes, when we first started taking in foreign students, there were only 2 or 3 students applying every year. Now, there are 11 foreign students enrolled in this year alone, 8 of them are in Primary One.
The caption changes to Fatimah Babaevan. From Azerbaijan.
Fatima is around 11, with long brown hair in a ponytail and wears a white and blue striped T-shirt.
She says I've been living in China for 7 years. I think school is really fun. The people here are nice and there are so many local and foreign kids to play with!
The caption changes to Noora Gamil. From Yemen.
Noora is around 12 and wears a pink headscarf and a pink tartan shirt.
She says I want to learn mandarin because many people in Yemen want to learn mandarin and I can teach them.
The caption changes to Kiamer Mehdi. From Iran.
Kiamer is around 11, with short wavy brown hair and wears a printed blue shirt over a white and beige T-shirt;
He says I have many friends here and great teachers. I like it.
Anthony says IT'S NOT JUST THESE KIDS THAT
ARE BEING EDUCATED IN THE
CHINESE WAY.
ALL ACROSS CHINA, THOUSANDS OF
SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN OFFERED
TO FOREIGNERS TO STUDY IN
CHINESE UNIVERSITIES.
AND I'LL ALSO VISIT
GOVERNMENT-FUNDED CHINESE
LANGUAGE INSTITUTES THAT HAVE
SPROUTED ALL OVER THE MIDDLE
EAST IN COUNTRIES LIKE
AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, AND LEBANON.
ALL THESE EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS ARE PART OF
CHINA'S SOFT POWER PUSH ON THE
NEW SILK ROAD.
ITS LEADERS KNOW THAT
FRIENDSHIP IS THE GLUE TO
MAKING ITS BUSINESS DEALS A
SUCCESS.
Einar says YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WHEN XI
JINPING STARTS TALKING THESE
DAYS, HE'S SO MUCH ABOUT PERSON
TO PERSON COMMUNICATION,
DIPLOMACY, EXCHANGES,
EDUCATIONAL THINGS.
THEY KNOW THEY HAVE DEFICITS.
NOW, CHINA IS A WORLD POWER BUT
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY
VERSED IN THIS AREA AND VICE
VERSA FROM THESE OTHER
COUNTRIES.
CHINA LOOMS LARGE ON THE
HEADLINES BUT THE DETAILS CAN BE
SOMETIMES OVERLOOKED IN TERMS OF
HOW MANY PEOPLE SPEAK CHINESE.
SO CHINA HAS A LOT ON ITS HANDS
IN TERMS OF DOING THIS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO PURSUE IT IN
TERMS OF PEOPLE TO PEOPLE
EXCHANGES, EDUCATION, THINGS
LIKE THAT, BUT SOME VERY
AGGRESSIVE KINDS OF INITIATIVE.
Anthony says FROM TRADER
TO TRADE MINISTER.
FROM SMALL DEALS
TO MAMMOTH AGREEMENTS.
THE NEW SILK ROAD WILL CAST A
WEB OF CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE
MIDDLE EAST AND THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
AND WHAT'S NEEDED TO POWER THE
FACTORIES AND SHIPS AND TRAINS
AND CARS THAT DRIVE THE NEW
SILK ROAD IS THIS- OIL.
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT OIL?
WELL, THINK ABOUT THE WORST
THREATS AND CRISES THE WORLD HAS
FACED IN THE LAST 40 YEARS.
ISIS, AL-QAEDA, 9-11, ASSAD,
GADDAFI, SADDAM, IRAN.
THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO OIL.
AND NOW CHINA HAS BECOME THE
BIGGEST BUYER OF THIS PRODUCT.
UNDERPINNED BY SOLID GROWTH,
AND AS A MOUNTING NUMBER OF ITS
CITIZENS ACQUIRE CARS, CHINA'S
THIRST FOR CRUDE IS NOT LIKELY
TO BE QUENCHED ANY TIME SOON.
Einar says OIL WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT IN CHINA UNTIL,
YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC OR SOMETHING
ELSE COMES ALONG.
Anthony says WE KNOW THAT CHINA HAS BOUGHT
HUGE AMOUNTS OF OIL FROM THE
MIDDLE EAST, BUT NOW THEY'RE
ALSO BUYING UP PORTIONS OF THESE
OIL COMPANIES.
SAUDI ARAMCO IN SAUDI ARABIA,
THE IRANIAN NATIONAL OIL
COMPANY, AND SO FORTH.
UM, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS,
AND WILL CHINA PLAY A MORE
ACTIVE ROLE IN GUARDING OR
MAINTAINING STABILITY TO
SAFEGUARD ITS, UH, INVESTMENT?
Einar says GOOD QUESTION.
THEY'RE BUYING INTO BOTH THE
SAUDI ARABIAN OIL STRUCTURE AND
ALSO THE IRANIAN.
VERY UNUSUAL GIVEN THAT THEY'RE
SUPPOSEDLY IMPLACABLE ENEMIES.
CHINA IS TRYING TO STABILIZE THE
SITUATION BY HAVING FOOTS...
A FOOT IN EVERY CAMP.
AND NOT, AS I SAID, PLAYING
POLITICS BUT SIMPLY TRADE.
IF THEY STAY ON THE TRADE
THINGS, THEY HAVE SOME HOPE OF
DEALING WITH IT.
Anthony says THAT'S VERY MUCH KIND OF THE
RHETORIC AROUND THIS, RIGHT?
THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE
INVOLVED.
Einar says IF YOU START LOOKING AT THE
MEMBERS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON TO
THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE,
THE SILK ROAD, OBOR, WHATEVER...
He chuckles and says PEOPLE LIKE TO CALL IT, UM,
IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE YOU HAVE
TRADITIONAL ENEMIES.
YOU HAVE IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA,
YOU HAVE ISRAEL AND YOU HAVE
PALESTINE.
EVERYBODY IS INVOLVED.
Anthony says DO YOU THINK THAT CHINESE
INVESTMENT AND THE NEW SILK ROAD
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY IN
THE MIDDLE EAST?
Li says Yes, of course, definitely. It will take time. What we're going to do in the Middle East is we try link the regional countries, their own strategies of development with China's internal framework of One Belt One Road.
Anthony says POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS
MESSY AND MALICIOUS.
AND AS CHINA BUILDS ITS SILK
ROAD, IT WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THESE POLITICAL RISKS.
THE NEW SILK ROAD IS ALL ABOUT
CONNECTIVITY.
IT INCLUDES RAILROADS, HIGHWAYS,
OIL PIPELINES, AND IT AFFECTS
GOVERNMENTS, TRADERS, WOMEN AND
CHILDREN.
CHINA IS KEENLY AWARE THAT IN
THIS GLOBALIZED WORLD, WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL
ALSO IMPACT PEOPLE HERE.
AND IT SEEMS IT CAN NO LONGER
STAND ON THE SIDELINES AND WATCH
THE MIDDLE EAST DESCEND INTO
CHAOS.
Music plays as the end credits roll.
Narrator, Anthony Morse.
Executive producer, Tan Lek Hwa.
Copyright 2018, Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.
Logo: TVF International.