China Offers to Help Iraq Defeat Sunni Extremists

China has the world’s third most powerful military force – and has offered to help Iraq combat Islamic State extremists. China’s foreign minister extended the offer to Iraq’s foreign minister during a September UN antiterrorism meeting, reports Financial Times. “China is the largest foreign investor in Iraq’s oil sector and stands to lose the billions its state-owned groups have ploughed into the country if the fields are lost to the insurgents,” report Najmeh Bozorgmehr and Lucy Hornby.. “Sinopec operates in Kurdistan, while China National Petroleum Corp has interests in the giant Rumaila field near Basra and in Maysan province near the Iranian border.” The Chinese support is not tied to the US-led international coalition now conducting air strikes and advising Iraq – and may be limited to “intelligence exchange and personnel training.” The article points out that Iraq seeks more weapons, after many fell into the hands of Islamic State extremists. China has abandoned oil fields in Syria. – YaleGlobal