The relationship between politics and certain concepts, such as human values and ethics, is often a subject of debate. Some believe that politics should adhere to ethical rules rather than interests, while others argue that interests play a strong role in shaping the positions and decisions of states. They point out that in the realm of politics, it is unclear how interests intertwine, and they assert that during crises, every country acts according to its own interests.
Therefore, when examining the stance of any given country on a particular issue, it is important to consider that relations between countries are often based on mutual interests, which may shift over time. This prevents us from forming judgments driven by emotions, which often lead our people to make misguided decisions.
Between all of this, it seems necessary to act objectively in response to events and to align with the humanitarian side, rather than taking positions based on interests aligned with one party or another.
When looking at China's policies towards our Arab region, we see that China is one of the influential countries in the geopolitical arena. Its policies are driven by interests. Beijing has managed to maintain good relations with Arab and Islamic countries as part of its struggle against American imperialism while simultaneously preserving its economic interests with “Israel,” a key U.S. ally.
China Strives to Please All Parties
Not long ago, China adopted a policy of “friends with everyone.” However, its policies toward the Arab region are now undergoing significant geopolitical and geostrategic transformations, especially after the genocide in Gaza. Despite China's interest in the region and its desire to play a regional role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, new rules have emerged that guide its policies, particularly regarding its relations with “Israel” and the major global powers. These shifts signal major changes in the global power structure.
In general, China's policies dangle between all sides. It cannot afford to align with just one party because it needs all of them to fulfill its interests. China needs “Israel,” as it is its largest trading partner in East Asia. China has sought to benefit from “Israel's” expertise in solar energy, robotics, irrigation, construction, agriculture, and water management.
At the same time, China needs Iran as an ally and wants to invest in its relationships with Arab countries while maintaining strong ties with their sworn enemy, “Israel.” Historically, Beijing has tried to balance its relations with “Israel” while simultaneously presenting itself as a champion for Palestinians on the global stage.
The History of Sino-Israeli Relations
In 1950, “Israel” recognized China, but just one year later, in 1951, the United States pressured “Israel” to freeze its relations with China due to the U.S.-Chinese conflict during the Korean War. There were no official relations between the two countries for more than 40 years. Chinese leader Mao Zedong adopted an anti-Israel stance, seeing both “Israel” and Taiwan as imperialist bases in Asia, established by the West against the Arabs and China.
In 1988, Beijing recognized Palestine and invited the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to send a semi-diplomatic mission to China. This was the first such mission for Palestine in a non-Arab country.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Madrid Peace Conference, developments in bilateral relations led to the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. In 2000, the Chinese president made a historic visit to “Israel,” and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Beijing in 2007, resulting in numerous agreements.
In return, “Israel” has carefully balanced its relationship with China while maintaining its close ties with the United States. However, a major shift in bilateral relations occurred in 2013, coinciding with tensions between Netanyahu's government and the former Obama administration.
Mutual Interests Drive Sino-Israeli Relations
Shared interests push “Israel” to deepen its ties with China's economy, which is considered one of the fastest-growing economies, while also being cautious against the potential rise of China as a dominant global power. According to a 2019 study by the RAND Corporation, Beijing is keen to increase investment in Israeli infrastructure and encourage its involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative as part of its efforts to undermine Washington's ties with allied nations.
Challenges Facing Sino-Israeli Relations
Washington views China as a global competitor and is concerned about the transfer of any technology that could provide China with military superiority. As a result, Washington remains an obstacle in Sino-Israeli relations. In 2000, the U.S. forced “Israel” to cancel the sale of the airborne radar system Falcon to the Chinese military, though it allowed “Israel” to sell it to India three years later.
Meanwhile, Israel's growing military relations with India present a challenge to Beijing. India accounted for 33% of Israel's total arms exports between 2001 and 2021. Additionally, China's military ties with Iran present another challenge. China is Iran's largest importer of oil and has helped Tehran bolster its military capabilities by selling it ballistic missiles and anti-ship weapons.
China's Relations with the Arab World
In December 2022, several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed between China and Saudi Arabia, including plans to align Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 with China's Belt and Road Initiative, as well as a memorandum of understanding in the field of hydrogen energy and agreements in the fields of security and investment promotion. Chinese tourism to Saudi Arabia has also seen significant promotion.
Since 2013, China has become Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and in 2022, bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $116 billion, representing a 33.1% year-on-year increase. Recently, Saudi Arabia introduced the teaching of Chinese in all the government secondary schools, marking the first such initiative by an Arab country. All of these understandings and agreements bring enormous economic benefits to China.
China Becomes a Key Player in the Arab Region
On June 14, 2023, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited China. During his visit, Beijing affirmed its support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and emphasized the two-state solution.
Beijing has also demonstrated its role as a key mediator between the Palestinians and as a reliable partner in addressing regional issues. In June, China succeeded in bringing together all Palestinian factions, inviting 14 Palestinian groups to a national meeting in Beijing, where they agreed to achieve comprehensive national unity within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in what became known as the “Beijing Agreement.”
In May, Beijing hosted the 10th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, which coincided with the 20th anniversary of its founding in 2004. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted that one of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was that President Xi Jinping responded to the decision made at the Arab League summit by announcing that the second China-Arab summit would be held in China in 2026.
China's Role in Mediating Between Saudi Arabia and Iran
China also successfully mediated the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had been severed since 2016. After seven years of estrangement, the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic ties following negotiations hosted by China.
China's Growing Role at the Expense of U.S. Influence
The New York Times observed that China's role in the Middle East is growing economically and politically, while U.S. influence in the region is shrinking. The Washington Post described this development as a significant breakthrough in a bitter rivalry, highlighting the failure of former President Obama's attempts to mend relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Obama had viewed the conflict between the two nations as a source of sectarian tension in the region.
The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has greatly impacted China's previous “friends with everyone” policy. In the past, Beijing aimed to avoid taking sides in conflicts that did not directly affect it. However, more recently, China has begun to view such conflicts as opportunities to turn diplomatic pressure and global public opinion against Washington. This approach has led China to side against U.S. allies, such as “Israel” and Ukraine, purely to score points against the West. Beijing, alongside Russia, used its veto power in the UN Security Council to block a U.S.-sponsored resolution condemning Hamas and not calling for a ceasefire. In response, “Israel” joined 50 other countries at the UN in October to condemn China's actions against the Uyghur people in East Turkestan.
Based on the above, it is expected that the political gap between the two countries will widen, in contrast to the situation over the past decade. Here we can say that China's interests are the primary driver behind its pro-Arab positions. In this historical moment, Chinese and Arab interests have aligned. Is there anyone to capitalize on this for the benefit of our people?
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- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/world/asia/china-israel-hamas-antisemitism.html
- https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/ar/policy-analysis/lmadha-tnhaz-alsyn-dd-asrayyl-wlmadha-syaty-dhlk-ly-alarjh-bntayj-ksyt
- https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2641.html
- https://www.spa.gov.sa/w1824251
- https://www.cairn.info/revue-confluences-mediterranee-2019-2-page-147.htm?ref=doi
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/48600106
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