China builds 1,000 schools in Iraq

China and Iraq have signed an agreement about the construction of 1,000 new schools by two Chinese contractors in the Middle Eastern state. Construction company Power Construction Corporation of China (Powerchina) is to build 679 of the schools, with the rest to be built by Sino Tech, according to the South China Morning Post. The construction project is part of an Iraqi project to build 7,000 schools to repair damage from years of war. According to UNICEF, 3.2 million school-age children lack access to education, SCMP said. China’s involvement in the Middle East has grown steadily in recent years. The People’s Republic is now the largest importer of Iraqi oil. China is currently in talks to construct more infrastructure, according to the SCMP. Among them, contract for power lines, data cables, and railroad lines nib