Saudi Nukes

Here is a report about growing China-Saudi ties:

https://thecradle.co/Article/Analysis/19283

Buried within the report is this gem:

Chinese nuclear developers are helping Riyadh develop its vast uranium resources while also mastering all branches of the nuclear fuel cycle.

The nuclear fuel cycle includes the chemical separation of plutonium from spent fuel, an activity which makes the production of nuclear weapons possible to those who can master it.

Of related interest is this report on Saudi fertilizer production:

https://www.ft.com/content/5d4654f4-9db5-41a8-b595-dd397a51d29e [subscription may be required]

Uranium often occurs in phosphate compounds, and a growing fertilizer industry can also be a growing uranium extraction industry.

When I attended a field geology course in 1970 at Idaho State University, one of my fellow students was a member of the Saudi upper class attending the school on a diplomatic visa. His area of study? Phosphates and phosphate mining. They've been working on this for some time.

There soon will be more nukes in the Middle East, and whether Saudi nukes will be friendlier than Iranian nukes is a difficult question to answer. But don't blame either on China, since we've been helping all parties from the beginning.