<span>China cements influence in Iraq through oil, infrastructure deals</span>

Al-Monitor | Aug 22, 2022 at 12:21 PM
  • China has gained a major foothold in oil-rich Iraq, shaking up Western domination in fields from energy to construction, even as some warn that infrastructure projects could leave Baghdad in debt.
  • After decades of conflict, Iraq is “badly in need of foreign investment, and specifically investment in energy sector infrastructure”.
  • China, with its soaring energy needs, has stepped in to fill that gap, and is expanding its presence in Iraq under a 2019 “oil for construction” deal.