HIGHLIGHTS
- read the article paying attention to the words in bold
- summarize the main ideas
- comment on the ideas expressed by the author
- compose 3 questions for discussion
FOCUS WORDS
bargaining | торги, переговоры, заключение сделки |
attempt | пытаться, пробовать; сделать попытку |
dissolution | распад, роспуск, расторжение |
embark | начинать, браться (за что-л.); предпринимать (что-л.) |
seek | искать, стремиться, добиваться |
restore | восстанавливать, возобновить, возвращать |
account | отчитываться; давать отчёт, отвечать, нести ответственность |
footprint | след, отпечаток, зона охвата, зона влияния |
overdue | просроченный, запоздалый |
far-reaching | далеко идущий, чреватый серьезными последствиями |
PREPOSITIONS
- approach to
- tensions over
- embarked on
- comparable to
- solution to
- stake in
- alternative to
- accounts for
- remain in place
- involvement in
Apr 10, 2023 Djoomart Otorbaev
Djoomart Otorbaev
Djoomart Otorbaev, a former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, is the author of Central Asia’s Economic Rebirth in the Shadow of the New Great Game (Routledge, 2023).
Saudi Arabia’s turn toward China reflects its dissatisfaction with US policy. But while this is hardly the first time the Saudis have employed this approach to political bargaining, familiar does not mean harmless.
BISHKEK – Just a few years ago, it would have been practically unimaginable for Saudi Arabia, America’s longtime strategic partner, to join an economic and security organization led by China and Russia. Last month, however, the kingdom approved a memorandum of understanding granting it the status of “dialogue partner” in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – the first step toward full membership.
The SCO’s foundations were laid in the 1980s, when the Soviet Union and China were attempting to navigate tensions over their shared border. After the Soviet Union’s dissolution, two parties became five: the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. In 2001, the so-called Shanghai Five agreed that they should move beyond demarcation and demilitarization of borders to deepen regional cooperation, and the SCO was born. Today, the SCO includes the Shanghai Five, plus India, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, with Iran expected to join this year. The SCO also has nine dialogue partners – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and now Saudi Arabia – with five more countries having embarked on the same path. Three countries – Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia – have observer status. While the SCO is not a military alliance comparable to, say, NATO, nor is it a mere economic association. On the contrary, the SCO charter establishes security cooperation as central to the organization’s purpose, and SCO members regularly hold joint military and anti-terrorism exercises. For example, joint “counter-terrorism exercises” are planned for August in Russia’s Chelyabinsk oblast. Saudi Arabia’s move to join the SCO represents a victory for China, which has been seeking to boost its geopolitical influence and challenge the current United States-led international order. The diplomatic component of this effort has been crucial. For example, less than three weeks before Saudi Arabia approved the SCO memorandum, it agreed to a China-brokered deal to restore diplomatic relations with Iran. No one should be surprised if China soon sets its sights on mediating a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. But it is China’s economic clout that makes such diplomatic achievements possible. It is no coincidence that on March 27 – two days before the Saudis signed the SCO memorandum – the state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco announced that it had acquired a 10% stake in China’s Rongsheng Petrochemical Co., Ltd., in a deal valued at $3.6 billion. Saudi Aramco – which was already supplying more than four times as much crude to China as to the US – has now agreed to supply refineries in China with 690,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Saudi Arabia appears to be selling its loyalty to the highest bidder. In addition to the SCO, the kingdom has formally asked to join another China-dominated grouping, the BRICS, which also includes Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa. Conceived in 2001 by Goldman Sachs as an asset class, the BRICS grouping soon took on a life of its own. In 2006, it emerged as a trade alliance, and it has been attempting to position itself as a geopolitical alternative to the G7, even discussing the launch of a single currency that could act as an alternative to the US dollar. Given that China accounts for 72% of the BRICS’ total GDP, the bloc – possibly in an expanded form – could well decide to start settling trade payments in renminbi. Even if that does not happen yet, China may decide to settle its hydrocarbon purchases from Saudi Arabia in renminbi, as it has been doing with Russia. Given that China accounts for 15% of global oil demand, and 10% of the global oil trade, other nearby oil-producing countries may be drawn into the same arrangement. To be sure, China is not likely to drive the US out of the Middle East any time soon, not least because America remains a top security partner for most of the Gulf states. Saudi Arabia continues to host US military bases, and last month the two countries completed their first joint counter-drone exercise at a new military testing center in Riyadh. In the same week, two Saudi Arabian airlines announced plans to order 78 planes from US manufacturer Boeing and take options to buy 43 more. Nonetheless, China’s growing footprint in the Middle East has the US worried. While US officials have played down the implications of Saudi Arabia’s move to join the SCO, saying that it was long overdue, they have expressed concern about the adoption of Huawei 5G technology in the Middle East, and urged the United Arab Emirates to shut down what they view as a Chinese security facility. Cooperating with China, the US warns, could undermine countries’ relationships with America. In Saudi Arabia’s view, it is the US that has been damaging bilateral relations. During the 2020 election campaign, US President Joe Biden threatened to make the kingdom a “pariah” for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Though Biden has since softened his position, a few fundamental restrictions – for example, on the supply of weapons – remain in place. Moreover, US Senators Chris Murphy and Mike Lee recently introduced a “privileged resolution” to require the State Department to investigate Saudi Arabia’s domestic human-rights practices and its involvement in the war in Yemen. According to the resolution, all security assistance to the kingdom would be cut off unless the report is submitted within 30 days. Saudi Arabia’s turn toward China thus reflects its dissatisfaction with US policy. And while this is hardly the first time the Saudis have employed this approach to political bargaining, familiar does not mean harmless. Enabling China’s efforts to corral Middle Eastern countries into political and economic blocs could have far-reaching strategic consequences.
DISCUSSION AND APPLICATION QUESTIONS
- What factors led to Saudi Arabia’s decision to join the SCO, and how might this impact their foreign policy going forward?
- How does the SCO’s expansion reflect China’s broader efforts to increase its influence in the Middle East and beyond?
- What are the potential implications of China’s growing presence in the region for other global powers, such as the United States and Russia?
LANGUAGE REVIEW
FLASHCARDS
SYNONYMS
MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS TRANSLATION
bargaining | начинать, браться (за что-л.); предпринимать (что-л.) |
attempt | отчитываться; давать отчёт, отвечать, нести ответственность |
dissolution | пытаться, пробовать; сделать попытку |
embark | искать, стремиться, добиваться |
seek | просроченный, запоздалый |
restore | торги, переговоры, заключение сделки |
account | далеко идущий, чреватый серьезными последствиями |
footprint | распад, роспуск, расторжение |
overdue | след, отпечаток, зона охвата, зона влияния |
far-reaching | восстанавливать, возобновить, возвращать |
MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS DEFINITION
intergovernmental | formal demand, appeal, petition |
inception | provisional, tentative programme, draft of a document |
ongoing | occurring in regular time intervals or patterns |
entitle | relevant; suitable; appropriate |
high-ranking representative | continuing without ending or without interruption |
preliminary agenda | one of the parts into which an organization is divided for political, judicial, military, or other purposes |
request | the beginning, as of a project or undertaking |
on a regular basis | give a rank or right |
division | the authorized delegate or agent having an important position in a government, company, or organization |
applicable | conducted between or involving two or more governments |
MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS SYNONYMS
bargaining | pursue, try to obtain, strive for, ask for, request |
attempt | disintegration, decomposition, termination; dismissal |
dissolution | value, consider, rate, reckon, deem, estimate |
embark | behind schedule, delayed; unsettled, delinquent |
seek | try, endeavor |
restore | effect, impact, track, mark, imprint, impression |
account | negotiating terms, reaching agreement, doing a deal |
footprint | begin, commence, undertake |
overdue | extensive, profound, comprehensive, all-embracing, radical |
far-reaching | reestablish, reinstate, reinvigorate, revive, revitalize |
MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS COLLOCATIONS
bargaining | on a plan, strategy, mission, campaign |
attempt | for the disparity, difference, mistake/ actions, decisions |
dissolution | for life, a promotion, a discount/ over a proposal, price |
embark | project, task, assignment/ compensation, recognition |
seek | effects, consequences, significance, reforms |
restore | to make, find, get, provide, keep, persuade, explain |
account | to improve, provide, ensure, understand/ destroy, obtain, find |
footprint | leading, trailing, coming from; reduce |
overdue | period, of status position, partnership, board |
far-reaching | order, control, balance, peace, confidence, belief, pride, faith (in) |
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES BY FILLING IN FOCUS WORDS
overdue far-reaching restored accounts footprint seeks attempts bargaining dissolution embarks | 1. Tourism …………. for one in five jobs in Greece, and the industry is vital for Rhodes and many other islands. 2. Israel has been adamantly opposed to US …………. to renew its nuclear deal with Iran — which would drop many sanctions against Tehran. 3. An analysis by the Brookings Institution characterized the change as “incremental” and ………….. 4. Many leaders from the Commonwealth, a voluntary collection of 56 member countries born out of the …………. of the British Empire, are also expected to attend the Forum. 5. Both sides could also use climate issues as a …………. chip in their wider trade and political negotiations. 6. The Kamioka findings have potentially …………. ramifications. 7. The change comes as the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) …………. on a multibillion-dollar modernization project that aims to upgrade technology, ramp up enforcement of the tax code and improve customer service. 8. Mr. DeSantis has recently expanded his tightly controlled news media …………. beyond friendly right-wing outlets. 9. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has sought deeper involvement by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in East Asia as he …………. to counter China’s regional influence. 10. West African leaders threatened military action against Niger, where soldiers seized power in a coup, unless the country’s democratically elected president was …………. to office within a week. |
MATCH THE COLLOCATIONS FROM THE TEXT
1. boost | a) tensions |
2. challenge the current | b) clout |
3. employ | c) countries’ relationships with |
4. diplomatic component | d) security cooperation |
5. economic | e) bilateral relations |
6. establish | f) geopolitical influence |
7. position itself as | g) international order |
8. undermine | h) the approach |
9. navigate | i) is crucial |
10. damage | j) a geopolitical alternative to |
COMPOSE MEANINGFUL SENTENCES BASED ON FOCUS WORDS AND COLLOCATIONS FROM THE TEXT
E.g. _____________ accounts for more than half of _____________
→ London accounts for more than half of all upheld housing complaints in England, a regulator says.
- _________ strong bargaining power _________
- _________ attempts to prevent _________
- _________ after the dissolution of _________
- _________ embark on a scheme in banking _________
- _________ to seek fruitful cooperation results _________
- _________ has restored the integrity of _________
- _________ have historically accounted for _________
- _________ giant footprint in public life _________
- _________ is long overdue _________
- _________ far-reaching significance _________
PREPOSITIONS
- approach ___
- tensions ___
- embarked ___
- comparable ___
- solution ___
- stake ___
- alternative ___
- accounts ___
- remain ___ place
- involvement ___
GRAMMAR MIX
- The EU, the United States and other Western governments ________ sanctions on Myanmar’s military government and demanded an immediate end to violence and the release of Suu Kyi and other political detainees.
- have been imposing
- are imposing
- have imposed
- impose
2. After 20 years of on-and-off negotiations, leaders from the European Union and South America’s Mercosur trade bloc ________ late last month that they ________ a sweeping trade agreement encompassing 800 million people and almost a quarter of the global economy.
- announced; reached
- had announced; had reached
- were announcing; were reaching
- announced; had reached
3. BRICS cooperation ________ by developing countries in recent years, and its status and role in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the G20, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund ________ .
- has widely recognized; has risen and grown
- was widely recognized; was raising and growing
- is widely recognized; has raised and grown
- has been widely recognized; have been rising and growing
4. Achieving a high digitalization level for the EAEU by 2025 ________ economic and social dividends in all fields and sectors of the Union’s economy.
- will entail
- would entail
- will have entailed
- is entailing
5. The movement of labor ________ in the region, largely as a result of labor market laws in the countries, which rarely distinguish between temporary and permanent labor mobility.
- is constrained
- is being constrained
- will be constrained
- will constrain
6. If efficiently ________ , deep trade agreements can improve policy cooperation across countries, thereby increasing international trade and investment, economic growth and social welfare.
- being designed
- designed
- designs
- be designed
7. Bringing together mission analytics and human performance is a force multiplier – it helps pinpoint why a warfighter ________ be having difficulty, and what to do about it.
- should
- can
- might
- ought to
8. The digitalization of the region ________ the EAEU is located is determined by two significant factors: strong government interventions and a risk-prone private sector.
- , where
- , in which
- in which
- there
9. Women in the UAE have high levels of educational attainment, ________ there are still economic gender gaps.
- however,
- moreover,
- although
- but,
10. The ports of Syria and Lebanon are not served directly by shipping lines plying between Europe and the Far East, ________ they handle substantial volumes of traffic from Europe to third countries—notably Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — ________ enjoying the economies of scale and frequency offered by a busy port.
- yet; still
- and; so
- but; thus
- also; after
VOCABULARY NOTES
bargaining просроченный, запоздалый | definition purchase to one’s advantage, esp. at less than the usual cost; an agreement between parties synonyms negotiating terms, reaching agreement, doing a deal collocations bargain for [his life, a promotion, a discount]bargain over a [proposal, price] |
attempt пытаться, пробовать; сделать попытку | definition to make an effort at; try; seek, undertake synonyms try, endeavor collocations attempt to [make, find, get, provide, keep]; attempt to [persuade, explain] |
dissolution распад, роспуск, расторжение | definition a bringing or coming to an end; termination; the breaking up of an assembly or organization, bond, partnership; dismissal synonyms disintegration, decomposition, termination; dismissal collocations dissolution period, of status position, partnership, board |
embark начинать, браться (за); предпринимать | definition to start or participate in an enterprise, project, venture synonyms begin, commence, undertake collocations a embark on a plan, strategy, mission, campaign |
seek искать, стремиться, добиваться | definition to try to obtain, to search or explore, attempt synonyms pursue, try to obtain, strive for, ask for, request collocations seek to [improve, provide, ensure, make, understand]seek to [destroy, obtain, find] |
restore восстанавливать, возобновить, возвращать | definition to bring back into existence, use, former condition, position, rank; reestablish synonyms reestablish, reinstate, reinvigorate, revive, revitalize collocations restore [order, control]restore the [balance, peace]restore smb’s [confidence, belief, pride, faith] (in) |
account отчитываться; давать отчёт, отвечать, нести ответственность | definition to give an explanation for; to cause; to regard; consider as synonyms value, consider, rate, reckon, deem, estimate collocations account for the [disparity, difference, mistake]; [actions, decisions] |
footprint след, отпечаток, зона охвата, зона влияния | definition a trace suggesting that something was once present or felt or otherwise important; the area taken up by some object synonyms effect, impact, track, mark, imprint, impression collocations footprints [leading, trailing, coming] from; reduce a carbon footprint |
overdue просроченный, запоздалый | definition having passed the time when due or expected; needed or expected for some time but not yet having been done synonyms behind schedule, delayed; unsettled, delinquent collocations an overdue [project, task, assignment]; overdue [compensation, recognition]; the [promotion, apology] was long overdue |
far-reaching далеко идущий, чреватый серьезными последствиями | definition extending far in influence, effect synonyms extensive, profound, comprehensive, all-embracing, radical collocations effects, consequences, significance, reforms |