[blackhawkC17]

> I think the bigger question here is what role Chinese policy is playing in this story. Is their involvement strictly commercial?

There's little government policy behind it. It's basically:

Chinese companies invest in massive production of solar panels and drive prices down to unprecedented levels.

Pakistani individuals and businesses, facing energy shortages and very expensive grid power, decide to invest in solar panels to get cheap energy.

> Have Chinese politicians decided on some sort of Marshall Plan-style approach to the Middle East?

Not even close, and there's no reason for them to do this.

[dogman144]

> Not even close…

Belt and road? Investing in ports? Infra build support for owned to CN? This literally just happened over the last decade, that’s plenty reason.

[flakeoil]

And the fact that there are no tariffs on solar panels when importing them from China.