AP Photo

China has hit upon an interesting strategy to bind together a foreign financed energy programme and the government's need to placate minority groups, some of whom have shown rebellious tendencies. It is offering 'Arab friends' an opportunity to participate in the Hu Jintao regime's pet programme of uplifting the country's backward western region, which can easily absorb billions of dollars in oil, electricity and wind energy, manufacturing, Halal food and agriculture development projects.  . .