Recent landmark deals by China and the U.S. reaffirm that the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) remains vital to the Middle East strategies of the two global superpowers - and for much the same reasons. The first deal was the signing on 25 July of a strategic alliance agreement between the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to deepen cooperation. The second deal was the signing of a strategic partnership between the U.S.’s ExxonMobil and ADNOC to establish the world’s largest low-carbon…
