The recently signed "Sino-Iranian" agreement will turn “revolutionary” Iran into merely an advanced Chinese platform in the Middle East. This is, in fact, part of the tremendous transformation that has struck the Middle East in the past ten years; years that began with the Arab autumn, and these years barely passed before the start of the political, economic, and geographic repositioning.
Perhaps Tehran thinks it is smarter than the Chinese and that it will use Beijing for its projects and its incursion into the region and the world, but reality says otherwise. We are facing an unequal confrontation between the current Chinese empire and the ‘mullahs of Qom’, who are still living on the illusions of Khosrau (Persian royalty) after the collapse of his empire over 1400 years ago.
It is nothing more than a struggle between a contemporary ideology and dreams imprisoned in history. Iran, which always claims to be independent of the Western scheme while displaying its hostility towards it, turns out, day and night, to be a tool of the gigantic Chinese scheme that charted its course 25 years ago.
This shift in the region’s relations, and in the influential, strong powers, is evidence of the retrogression of some global powers and the rise of others in their place. It is a small platform that cannot bear more than two powers. Then who will rise to the top and who will tumble (down into the abyss, into oblivion)?
This is part of the roughness and change in loyalties and alliances. Ultimately, this will lead to a new global vision, imposed by the superpowers over the next 100 years — a vision based on economic strength and depletion of resources.
The West today fully believes that it is they who created China out of a vacuum. They also believe that it is the West that pulled China out of abject poverty that had drowned it for long decades.
The West also believes that it is they who supported China’s independence after it was occupied by Japan. The West is capable of replacing China with another ‘factory’ called India, to become a new industrial region.
Therefore, the selection of a female American vice president of Indian descent was neither a frivolity nor a leap into the unknown.
India has the same potential as China, huge manpower, a good educational structure, and cheap labor. Therefore, ‘India’ is required to become another China.
The Chinese know this. Hence, they want to preserve the gains they have made and it is difficult to relinquish them. They want to be partners in managing this world and not boys in the Western factories on Chinese soil. That is why China is entering Iran so as to surround the new "Indian" giant.
The Chinese dragon relied in its move on two major axes. First: To benefit from the contradictions of American policies due to the existence of the struggle between two parties — the Republican and Democratic parties, and the imbalance of their policies in the world and in the Middle East in particular.
Second: Temptation through cumbersome debts for small countries that fall on the path of Chinese trade and influence.
The big question is: What will be the fate of the Middle East region in the presence of a sophisticated Chinese claw that sets foot on the shores of the Gulf for the first time?
And what will countries such as Saudi Arabia do, with their position as an Arab and Islamic center, with the close approach of the Chinese influence towards their eastern shores.
Saudi Arabia, which has lived for over five decades under the struggle between Western capitalism and Eastern communism, built its capabilities and development and faced existential challenges and risks, is capable of becoming the country that can strike a balance between two adventurous powers.
This is based on an understanding of the change in the balance of power, the struggle for influence, and the possibility of China's rise to become a power competing against America, as well as building a basket of relationships and interests, with a "Saudi Arabia" seeking to be a logistical area between East and West, with advanced tourism options, and an unprecedented technological dream for future generations.
The other challenge is how the world will remain steadfast with the existence of a Western ideology that has shifted towards the extreme left, and a Chinese mentality that does not rely on permanent allies, but partners in trade and money.
The Chinese mind is set to seek permanent resources and job opportunities for more than 1.5 billion Chinese, who form over 15 percent of the world population. This matter can neither be dealt with by frivolity nor uncalculated adventures.
Hence, at this point, one will understand the Chinese mentality, and the demands and needs of the Chinese for secure energy resources and permanent markets. Any imbalance or discrepancy in these will lead to an unbearable catastrophe.