The world has once again witnessed a deep divide in response to the developments in the Gaza Strip, with Muslim-majority countries protesting Israel’s military operation, while Western nations led by the United States express unwavering support for Tel Aviv. What is the position of the world’s second-largest economic power, China, in this complex situation?
Adil Kaukenov, a well-known Sinologist, has provided detailed insights on this matter on his Telegram channel:
«China has achieved diplomatic success in the Middle East by normalizing relations between seemingly irreconcilable rivals, Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. Beijing calls for de-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging both sides to come to the negotiation table, cease hostilities, and prevent the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has appealed for not responding to violence with more violence, as it will only cause greater harm and exacerbate the crisis. This stance appears fairly neutral with a message of ‘peace in the world.’
However, from a pro-Western perspective, advocating for peace in Gaza is seen as unequivocal pro-Palestinian support. It’s essential to note that Beijing is well aware of this perception. During discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi stated that Israel had gone beyond self-defense. He emphasized that China condemns all actions targeting civilians, and Israel should heed the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s call and avoid collective punishment of Gaza’s population.
Chinese diplomacy attributes the escalation to the ‘long-standing neglect’ of the rights of the Palestinian people to return to the region and establish an independent state. In general, China’s position, as characterized by Minister Wang Yi, is that ‘China will continue to stand on the side of peace and justice, supporting the just cause of the Palestinian people in defending their national rights.’
Today, China has dispatched a fleet of warships to the Middle East, consisting of the destroyer ‘Czibo,’ the Type 052 destroyer ‘Urumchi,’ frigates ‘Jinzhou’ and ‘Linyi,’ and comprehensive supply ships ‘Qiandao Lake’ and ‘Dongting Lake.’ This is seen as a clear response to the sharp increase in the American naval presence in the Middle East and rising tensions in the region.
So, why is the Communist-Buddhist China taking the side of the Islamic world rather than the West in this conflict? The answer is quite apparent: the alliance between Israel and the United States is so strong that even theoretically shifting Tel Aviv’s allegiance to Beijing is impossible. Therefore, it’s crucial to vie for the hearts of Palestinians and the entire Islamic world. Furthermore, China’s primary military-strategic partner is Pakistan, a country that doesn’t even have diplomatic relations with Israel and is highly sensitive to the current conflict escalation. Naturally, no one in Beijing wants to risk damaging relations with Islamabad, especially when Tel Aviv will never trade its alliance with the United States for one with China. Therefore, a major conflict in the Middle East is highly dangerous, as it could draw in first global powers and then the entire world.»
