There is little doubt regarding China's continuing demand for foreign resources, especially oil. The numbers always tell a story, albeit painful.
Excerpt From 'Mobilize,' DowntownLALife.com Magazine Int'l, October 2012
Iraq, the Middle East, and the Near East:
Onto Iraq.
At the outset of the war in 2003, Chinese investment in U.S Treasury Securities: 255 Billion dollars.
At the end of the war in 2009, Chinese investment in U.S. Treasury Securities: 1.464 Trillion dollars.
With recession looming and our countrymen/women engaged in mortal conflict, President Bush stated:
“… in the coming year to chart a new course in Iraq and strengthen our military to meet the challenges of the 21st century, … This work begins with keeping our economy growing. … And I encourage you all to go shopping more (2007).”
The underlying message: Utilize our propped-up dollar and buy Chinese.
And the China investment certainly kept our currency strong, enabling Greenspan to dump bubbly trillions into the economy without diminishing the dollar’s value. Regardless, Bush’s plea to a nation during wartime seemed rather unorthodox, if not obliquely irreverent to our troops. All bullshit aside, I speak of the nation-felt phenomena of austerity: The constant reminder of patriotic sacrifice in support of our servicemen/women on the field of battle.
Coming to the end of the conflict, the first beneficiary of Iraqi oil as reported on China Wire:
“China’s biggest oil company has signed a major service contract with the Iraqi government . . . China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), the country’s largest oil and gas company, has become the first foreign company to sign an oil deal with Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003 . . .”
September 25th, 2008, Caijing Magazine
And then, the collaboration of China and other partners in Iraqi Oil production and exports:
“China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and BP are expected to jointly finalize their contracts with Iraqi partners for the development of the Rumaila oilfield by the end of October, after the two companies were awarded the contract to develop the field in June.”
“CNPC President Jiang Jiemin was scheduled to travel to London this week to meet with BP’s top management, said a company source yesterday, who asked not to be named. Development of the Rumaila oilfield will be on top of Jiang’s agenda, he said, without elaborating.”
“The BP-CNPC contract to develop Rumaila was the only successful bid in Iraq’s auction of its oil and gas assets in June. It is also the country’s first auction of major oil contracts since the 2003 US-led invasion.”
Lastly, and painfully:
Number of Iraqi refugees (2003-2008): Minimally, 4,000,000
Number of Iraqi civilian fatalities: 655,000
Number U.S. military wounded: 32,229 (Pentagon figure, excludes Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and other ‘disqualified’ injuries).
Number of U.S. military fatalities: 4,487