US-sponsored Middle East railway to counter BRI might be near

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
8 Sep 2023 12:49
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The report says the co-project between the US, India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE might be announced during the G20 summit this weekend.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. (AFP)

Washington is hoping to unveil a plan to establish a railway network connecting Gulf and Arab countries as the United States increases hasty efforts to counter China's advanced Belt and Road Initiative BRI, Axios reported on Thursday citing sources.

As China's relations with West Asia - a main component of the BRI - grow stronger compared to waning US influence, the White House is hoping that the initiative will restore its power in the region.

The concept was first proposed by "Israel" in 2022 during I2U2 talks. US President Joe Biden later in 2023 expanded on the concept of including Saudi Arabia's participation.

If successful, the project, which will announced jointly with India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE during the coming G20 Summit in Dehli this weekend, is set to be one of the largest infrastructures in West Asia (Middle East), connecting several countries in the oil-rich region.

The railway will be also connected to India through seaports in the Gulf. However, Washington's involvement in this strategic land trade route, aside from applying pressure, remains vague due to its distant geographic location.

Biden has lately intensified his global diplomatic activities as the upcoming 2024 presidential elections are closing in. His efforts come at a time when the latest polling data indicate a decline in voter support for his administration, a trend that is set to impact the Democratic party's overall standing.

After Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia in December to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and later brokered a diplomatic breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran, political flourishment was in its bloom state and so were business deals between China and the Middle East.

Multi-billion dollar deals were signed between the two countries during the visits, followed by Hong Kong’s stock exchange forecasting in June 2023 that the Middle East’s largest sovereign-wealth funds' investments in China could amount to between $1 trillion and $2 trillion by 2030.

These events, among others, made Washington increasingly anxious about the deepening ties between its traditional allies and China. This was crowned with the inclusion of both Iran and Saudi Arabia, including 4 other nations, in the influential BRICS alliance, which was seen as a substantial blow to America's global influence as the sole unrivaled superpower.

Could it take off?

Deteriorating relations between the United States and countries in West Asia have prompted Washington to take unprecedented steps in order to maintain a strong presence in the region, especially as the Biden administration escalated America's rivalry with China and placed it on a very dangerous trajectory.

Meanwhile, tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia have also reached a historic peak in recent years, primarily stemming from a range of issues. These include Washington's reduced support for the Saudi-led military aggression on Yemen and the nuclear deal with Iran, which was perceived as a betrayal by Washington's key ally in the region.

One of the most significant shifts in US policy involves the revival of long-stalled negotiations with Saudi Arabia regarding the latter's aspirations to develop its own nuclear program.

This initiative is being pursued in exchange for the normalization of relations with the Israeli entity and to counter Chinese and Russian proposals to take on this project.

However, "Tel Aviv" has repeatedly announced its opposition to Riyadh establishing a sovereign nuclear program, citing fears of losing a "qualitative edge" against regional countries.

Moreover, bilateral relations between parties taking part in the massive project could pose a major risk to its take-off.

The rivalry between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in recent years over influence in the region, which has repeatedly surfaced on numerous issues, most noticeably regarding the war on Yemen, remains a core threat to the project's establishment.

In the meantime, the unprecedented decline in relations between the Israeli entity and the United States is also a core element to be considered when assessing the possibility of the railway's success.

Meanwhile, despite Washington's efforts, India did not follow in the West's footsteps regarding its relations with Russia, including adopting sanctions and severing mutual trade. This has resulted in growing pressure on Biden to punish New Delhi for not joining the anti-Russia campaign.