The Saudi crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Pakistan, India and China. It is not only economic relations but also political cooperation. Mohammed is dependent on the success of urgent.
The pigeon-dealers of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other cities in Pakistan, the North had last week reason to celebrate: your offer was sold like hot cakes. Around 3,500 doves had bought the emissaries of the government of Imran Khan, in honor of the Saudi crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, short MbS.
Mohammed concluded on Monday a two-day state visit to Pakistan. Among the approximately 1,000 attendants of the crown Prince, too many business people were. In Pakistan alone, they should have the press complete reports of contracts to the value of $ 20 billion-almost 18 billion Euro.
The trip, is not read in the Internet magazine “Al-Monitor,” serves only economic interests. It should also be about the battered Reputation of the Saudi Kingdom’s rule. “The Saudis want to represent the journey as an ordinary business trip, and give the impression that the impact of the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul were over,” says the magazine.
Red carpet: Mohammed bin Salman at the reception in Islamabad
A Region in turmoil
However, only the trade is likely to be the crown Prince in Islamabad hardly devote. Because in Pakistan, the political climate is irritated. In the last week, a car bomb exploded in the Kashmir Region. The stop crack is more than 40 Indian soldiers to death. India accused Pakistan to provide for the act of terrorism militias responsible shelter. Pakistan rejected the accusations immediately. At the same time, the government in Islambad condemned the act of terrorism.
At the weekend, the Saudi government is said to want in the conflict. “Our goal is to reduce the tensions between the two countries and to look for opportunities to settle their disputes peacefully,” it said of Riyadh. If this were successful, Saudi could present Arabia as a constructive power, and so the poor Image, the dragging since the murder Gamals Khashoggis, at least in part correct.
Disillusionment in relations with the United States
Such a success would be all the more can be more important than Saudi Arabia in the West, only minimal sympathy for the tough. The apply itself with a view to the previously closest ally, the USA. Although US President, Donald Trump has spoken out after the murder of Khashoggi incredibly cautious. However, large parts of US policy, the political Analyst Steven A. Cook in Foreign Policy magazine, to be the Kingdom now distant. “The idea of the crown Prince, and Saudi Arabia would be a win for the United States was a case of wishful thinking. In practice, the Saudis have prepared for nothing but headaches.”
Partnership with India
More successful than in Pakistan, the diplomatic Mission to Saudi is likely to be in Arabia and in India. India has long been a close trading partner of Saudi Arabia. Alone in the energy company “Ratnagiri Refinery” has invested the Kingdom of billions of dollars. Also on investment in infrastructure, tourism, defence and fight against terrorism, both countries are closely linked to each other. Planned are also common projection in Africa, especially in agriculture.
Object of curiosity: The business plan “Vision 2030”
In the future, “Yuan-Dollar” figures?
To be a bit more difficult relations with Saudi Arabia to China. The country has been a long time customer of Saudi oil exports. As a concern of American Economists press review according to reports, the fact that Saudi Arabia has taken a part of his deficit, least of all in bonds in the Chinese currency, the Yuan. Should other countries are not open to the Yuan, could you give this sometime for their oil deals in preference to the Dollar. The “Petro dollar” would lead to competition by the “Yuan-Dollar”.
Although the United States may be tempted to this development through reduction of arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Obvious, however, is that Saudi Arabia is diversifying its trade relations. In this case, the UK can point to success. The Chinese Ambassador indicated, in Saudi Arabia, already the interest of his country to Mbs’s great economic plan for the future, the “Vision 2030”.
A major economic influence of the ruling family is not likely to be right, it says on the website “The Diplomat”. The Saudi government is likely to seek to hold the Chinese investments in the borders. “The Saudi back attitude to Chinese Investment is explained by the concern to explain, China can make its economic influence also politically, as it has done in Pakistan, and the Philippines,” “The Diplomat”. That’s why Saudi Arabia have large interest to diversify its relations to Asia. This has done the MbS in the other stations of his journey.