Middle East Trip Suggests Change in Policy by China -- New York Times
BEIJING — Premier Wen Jiabao heads on Saturday to the oil-producing nations of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, a six-day tour of Iran’s Persian Gulf neighbors that is the first Saudi trip by a Chinese premier in two decades, and the first ever to the other two states.
But some experts find the trip notable for a different reason: It comes as China’s strategic alliance with Iran is less certain than before.
No one outside China’s leadership knows what Mr. Wen will discuss with leaders of the three oil-rich states he is visiting, but relations with Iran — deeply feared and resented by the Saudis, somewhat less so by the others — are certain to come up.
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My Comment: I suspect that China is looking for alternative oil supplies