[roenxi]

It is nice to see good news from time to time. I think the bigger question here is what role Chinese policy is playing in this story. Is their involvement strictly commercial? Have Chinese politicians decided on some sort of Marshall Plan-style approach to the Middle East?

The US has spent decades destabilising this region of the globe. I am hopeful that China and India will want peace and prosperity instead and we're hitting economic tipping points where they are going to start getting what they want whatever it is. The US isn't in a position to cause as much trouble now if the Chinese military thinks their western flank needs to start calming down.

[m4rtink]

Chinese - Pakistan relations go quite back by this point & are quite active, especially on the military purchasing front: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Pakistan_relatio...

[blackhawkC17]

> I think the bigger question here is what role Chinese policy is playing in this story. Is their involvement strictly commercial?

There's little government policy behind it. It's basically:

Chinese companies invest in massive production of solar panels and drive prices down to unprecedented levels.

Pakistani individuals and businesses, facing energy shortages and very expensive grid power, decide to invest in solar panels to get cheap energy.

> Have Chinese politicians decided on some sort of Marshall Plan-style approach to the Middle East?

Not even close, and there's no reason for them to do this.

[dogman144]

> Not even close…

Belt and road? Investing in ports? Infra build support for owned to CN? This literally just happened over the last decade, that’s plenty reason.

[flakeoil]

And the fact that there are no tariffs on solar panels when importing them from China.

[bitethecutebait]

Taking on the US x Saudis via a state that the Western audience traditionally considers terrorists, scammers and hackers via a soon to be eco-friendly Proxy is quite clever ...