Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Iraq
Relationship assessment
China–Iraq ties center on energy, investment, and reconstruction cooperation.
People's Republic of China toward Iraq
+40China has pursued government-level energy and reconstruction cooperation with Iraq. Chinese firms have secured major roles in Iraqi oil production, and bilateral arrangements have linked Iraqi oil exports with infrastructure and reconstruction projects.
Iraq toward People's Republic of China
+35Iraq has engaged China through a strategic partnership and arrangements supporting Chinese participation in oil and reconstruction projects. Iraqi governments have also maintained substantial energy cooperation with Chinese companies.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship is durably structured around energy trade and Chinese participation in Iraqi oil production, alongside government-supported investment and reconstruction arrangements. These practical ties underpin sustained cooperation, while the scale and delivery of projects remain variable.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Iraq have built a substantive relationship centered on energy, reconstruction, and investment. A strategic partnership and bilateral arrangements have supported Chinese involvement in Iraqi oil production and infrastructure projects, including a framework linking Iraqi oil exports with reconstruction. The relationship is commercially important and supported by government-level cooperation, though its implementation and breadth vary across projects.
Key developments
China and Iraq established a strategic partnership.
The governments agreed on a framework connecting Iraqi oil exports with Chinese-backed reconstruction projects.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and implementation of reconstruction projects under the oil-for-reconstruction framework are unclear.
- The extent of Iraqi government oversight and coordination across Chinese-backed projects is uncertain.