Chinese air conditioners cool Iraq this summer

BAGHDAD - Days of sizzling heat have engulfed Iraq in another muggy summer and Chinese-made air conditioners have become popular among local customers because of their advanced technology.

"About 70 percent of air conditioners in Iraqi markets today are made in China and the most popular brands are also Chinese, like Aux, simply because they've proved their quality," said Ashraf Abul-Huda, Aux's marketing and sales manager in Iraq.

On the one hand, the rising interest in Chinese air conditioners is proportional to the increasing purchasing power of Iraqis, especially as the country's slumping economy gradually picks up after the victory over the Islamic State militant group and the subsequent stability in many cities across the country.