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Pro-Palestinian or following trends? China\u2019s stance on war spilts analysts | Israel-Palestine conflict News<\/p>\n
When Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire and an end to the \u201ccollective punishment\u201d of the people of Gaza on the sidelines of the BRICS summit this week, his comments added to a steady drumbeat of criticism of Israel since the start of its war with Hamas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is necessary to ensure the safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance and stop the collective punishment against the people of Gaza through forced eviction, as well as turning off water, electricity and oil,\u201d Xi said on Tuesday via video link at the summit hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s initial response to the conflict was cautious and equivocal in apportioning blame.<\/p>\n
Beijing waited until a day after Hamas\u2019s October 7 attacks on Israel to call on the \u201crelevant parties\u201d to end hostilities and stress the need for a two-state solution, and did not condemn the Palestinian armed group or mention it by name.<\/p>\n
But within a week of the attack, Chinese diplomats began to call Israel\u2019s bombardment of Gaza a form of collective punishment and insist that the country\u2019s right to self-defence should be guided by international law and not come at the expense of innocent civilians.<\/p>\n
Since then, Beijing has called for multilateral and peaceful solutions to the conflict of the kind promoted by the United Nations, where Beijing took the helm of the powerful Security Council earlier this month.<\/p>\n
China, which has expressed its desire to be a peace broker in the Middle East, this week welcomed the announcement of the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas that took effect on Friday.<\/p>\n
Chinese state media was quick to claim credit on Beijing\u2019s behalf, with the state-run Global Times saying the ceasefire could be attributed to multiple factors including \u201cthe latest UN Security Council resolution adopted under China\u2019s rotating presidency\u201d and \u201cthe strong voice of the Global South\u201d.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s stance on the war is a matter of contention among analysts.<\/p>\n
While some see a clear pro-Palestinian through-line in Beijing\u2019s foreign policy, others argue it is simply mirroring a global balance of opinion that is increasingly critical of Israel\u2019s bombing campaign.<\/p>\n
Before the war, China maintained friendly relations with both Israel and the Palestinians.<\/p>\n
During the Mao Zedong era in the 1960s, Beijing viewed the Palestinian cause as part of the global campaign against imperialism and armed factions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.<\/p>\n
China now buys large quantities of oil from Iran, one of Hamas\u2019s main patrons, and key broker Qatar, as well as other Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Under Xi, China\u2019s comments about the war have been fairly consistent with past statements about Gaza made in 2008, 2014, and 2021, according to The China Project, typically calling for an end to violence and a mediated resolution.<\/p>\n
In 2008, for instance, former top diplomat Qin Gang called for an end to \u201cactions that cause injuries and deaths to ordinary people\u201d and for all parties to \u201cexercise maximum restraint and to settle differences through dialogue\u201d.<\/p>\n
Still, there have been noticeable shifts in Beijing\u2019s rhetoric towards statements that are more critical of Israel, said Benjamin Ho Tze Ern, an assistant professor at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies\u2019 (RSIS) China programme, such as its statement that the country had \u201cgone beyond self-defence\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ahmed Aboudouh, an associate fellow at Chatham House\u2019s Middle East and North Africa Programme, said in a recent commentary that China was clearly signalling its support of the Palestinian side.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rhetoric from Beijing is carefully designed to focus on the broader context, such as implementing the two-state solution, addressing humanitarian issues and preventing the conflict from turning into a regional one,\u201d Aboudouh wrote in a commentary on Chatham House\u2019s website in October.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has refrained from describing the Hamas incursion into Israel as a terrorist attack but has called Israel\u2019s retaliation \u2018collective punishment\u2019 of Palestinian civilians \u2013 signalling its opposition to an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manoj Kewalramani, a foreign policy analyst for the Bangalore-based Takshashila institution, said China\u2019s statements during the most recent conflict have shown a distinct pro-Palestine bent.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince [October 8], Beijing has been critical of Israel\u2019s actions, warning about violations of humanitarian law and against \u2018collective punishment. It has consistently called for a ceasefire, the need to avoid a spill-over of the conflict and the need to host a broader peace conference with a clear roadmap for a two-state solution,\u201d Kewalramani said.<\/p>\n
China has also not shied away from positively expressing its support for Palestinians.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a group of visiting diplomats from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Indonesia that China was a \u201cgood friend and brother of Arab and Muslim countries\u201d and a firm supporter \u201cof the cause of the Palestinian people\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, Hongda Fan, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, rejected the notion that Beijing is \u201cbiased against Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n
Fan said Beijing\u2019s position simply reflects the balance of global public opinion amid mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, where at least 14,532 have been killed, according to Palestinian health authorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe \u2018two-state solution\u2019 has not yet gained universal acceptance in Israel. In addition, China\u2019s relations with Arab countries and Iran have been developing relatively smoothly in recent years. These factors combine to make China appear to be siding with Palestine. Not really,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd overall, international public opinion is becoming increasingly unfavourable to Israel, which also shows that China\u2019s position is not biased against Israel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
RISIS\u2019s Ho said the conflict has helped China score points against the United States, its main competitor, which is Israel\u2019s biggest ally and backer.<\/p>\n
As US officials travelled through the region in October and November, Chinese diplomats did the same, visiting countries including Qatar, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while also meeting with Israeli representatives in Beijing.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince US policies seem to be more aligned with Israel, it is not surprising that China tends to align with Palestine, which is also viewed as the underdog,\u201d Ho told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis reflects China\u2019s \u2018underdog diplomacy\u2019 and that it wants to be seen as on the side \u2013 or at least, demonstrating support for \u2013 states that are being ostracised by the West.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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