The $400 Billion China-Iran Agreement

In late March, a $400 billion, 25-year deal was been signed between China and Iran, both countries that are sworn enemies of the United States. For China, this is part of the ambitious “Belt and Road” initiative while Iran is cash-starved and internationally isolated, due to sanctions implemented by the previous administration.

What does each nation see in this deal? How worried should Americans and supporters of Israel be? Here to answer these questions and more are two of the world’s leading experts.

About the speakers:

Carice Witte is the Founder and Executive Director of SIGNAL (Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership), an Israeli policy organization that specializes on China-Israel relations. Having led over 1,000 briefings in China and Israel, she established a semi-annual China-Israel and annual China-Israel-U.S. Track-II dialogue in 2017. In 2011, Ms. Witte founded the Israel Studies Programs (ISPs) at universities across China, including an annual program held in Israel for Chinese faculty on teaching Israel Studies. Ms. Witte has authored articles, research and policy analysis papers on Sino-Israel relations, trade policy, strategic communications, and global Jewry. Her research focuses on Israel’s perspective on Xi Jinping Thought and its potential implications for the Middle East, Israel and the BRI, China in the Middle East, and China’s foreign policy.

David Goldman is Deputy Editor of Asia Times, where he has written the “Spengler” column since 2001. Previously he was an award-winning market strategist and research director at Credit Suisse and Bank of America. From 2013 to 2016 he was a partner at Reorient Group (now Yunfeng Financial), a Hong Kong investment bank acquired by Jack Ma. He is the author of How Civilizations Die (2011) and You Will Be Assimilated: China’s Plan to Sino-Form the World (2020). He contributes to The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Claremont Review of Books and other publications. He has consulted for the Defense Department’s Office of Net Assessment and for the National Security Council. A classical musician, he also serves as Tablet Magazine‘s music critic.