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China’s Israel Shift? Balance or Strategic Move?
The recent claims by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson acknowledging that “Israel’s reasonable security concerns should also be taken seriously” marks a rare and, to some, welcome moment in China’s rhetoric regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, while it might appear as a step towards balancing China’s traditionally pro-Palestinian stance, a closer analysis suggests it is a belated and tactical gesture rather than a substantive shift in policy.
China’s Consistent Ambiguity: A Superficial Rebalance
The spokesperson’s remark was delivered during a press conference marking one year since the October 7th Hamas attack (and Gaza conflict outbreak), and it came amidst a broader, vague appeal for peace. However, buried within the usual language of ceasefires and humanitarian aid, the comment remains framed in the same context of China’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause. The juxtaposition between “legitimate” rights for Palestinians and “reasonable” security concerns for Israel reflects a rhetorical imbalance that highlights China’s persistent reluctance to recognize Israel’s security needs on an equal footing fully.
This linguistic nuance is critical in understanding Beijing’s proper stance. As recently as 2023, then Foreign Minister Wang Yi echoed a similar, albeit more cautious, sentiment during a conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, stating that “only by adhering to the direction of political settlement can Israel’s legitimate security concerns be thoroughly resolved.” This phrasing, while acknowledging Israel’s security, places it within a broader framework of international obligations, making it clear that China continues to prioritize its long-held support for the Palestinian cause (even for Hamas?).
Propaganda and Strategic Messaging: Xinhua and CGT N’s Narratives
China’s media outlets, which often act as extensions of state policy, reinforce this ambiguity. On June 6, 2024, Xinhua, China’s state news agency, released a “summary” of the first year of the Gaza conflict. The article, however, portrayed Israel as an irrational aggressor, backed by the United States, and responsible for the suffering of the Palestinian people and broader international destabilization. Tellingly, there was no mention of Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians or the situation of Israeli hostages, a glaring omission that illustrates the selective framing of the conflict by China’s propaganda apparatus. This is part of a broader strategy to win favor with the Global South, where criticism of the Western role often translates into reflexive anti-Israel sentiments.
Similarly, CGTN (China Global Television Network), part of the China Media Group controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department, aired a 30-minute documentary titled “Surviving: Orphans of Gaza” to mark the anniversary of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. The video, promoted through CGTN’s multiple language channels, documents the heart-wrenching stories of five Palestinian orphans affected by the conflict. While the suffering of these children is undeniably real, the film’s singular focus on Palestinian victims without offering a parallel narrative of Israeli suffering underscores China’s reluctance to humanize the Israeli experience. Testimonies from Israeli massacre survivors, stories of hostages, and accounts from families impacted by Hamas’s brutal attack are conspicuously absent from the Chinese media’s coverage.
As noted by Tuvia Gering – a super expert on China-Israel relations from the Atlantic Council – wolf warriors such as Zhang Heqing, the cultural counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, have been particularly vocal in amplifying Beijing’s messaging on social media. With over 400,000 followers on X, Zhang routinely shares anti-Israel and anti-US disinformation, often drawn from CCP-controlled outlets such as the Global Times. His use of the anniversary of the October 7th massacre to promote propaganda not only reflects China’s strategic interest in the conflict but also demonstrates how Beijing leverages the Israeli-Palestinian issue to cultivate influence within the anti-Western narrative.
China’s Calculated Strategy: Using Israel as Leverage
The lack of a clear condemnation of Hamas and the selective portrayal of the conflict in Chinese media are not merely oversights; they are part of a broader strategic calculation. Scholars in China have been forthright in admitting that Beijing sees Israel as a potential lever to counterbalance American influence in the Middle East – or instead to deplete and destabilize American and Western influence in the region. While China will seek to maintain its ties with Israel, it will not hesitate to exploit the situation to push its anti-Western narrative, aiming to capitalize on anti-Western sentiment in the Global South. Much of this revolves around demonstrating that the West applies double standards with Israel and against the Global South.
China’s approach to the conflict, particularly its refusal to fully acknowledge Israeli civilian suffering, reflects a desire to position itself as a neutral or alternative power broker in the region. This narrative appeals to nations that are disillusioned with Western foreign policy and perceive Israel as a symbol of Western imperialism. By subtly supporting the Palestinian cause, Beijing also hopes to strengthen its standing with Arab and Muslim-majority nations, a key component of its Belt and Road Initiative and its broader ambitions in the Global South.
A Tactic of Strategic Balance
While the recent statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry represents a notable rhetorical shift, it does not represent a fundamental change in China’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict and Palestinian issues. Instead, it is a calculated attempt to maintain diplomatic relations with all parties while promoting a narrative reinforcing China’s geopolitical goals. The portrayal of Israel as an aggressor in Chinese state media, the selective coverage of the conflict, and the lack of condemnation of Hamas demonstrate that China’s stance remains fundamentally unchanged.
Beijing’s long-term strategy remains focused on leveraging the Israeli-Palestinian issue to challenge Western influence in the Middle East, appealing to nations in the Global South, where anti-Israel sentiment often mirrors broader anti-Western grievances. While Israel continues to serve as an important economic and technological partner for China, the conflict remains a valuable tool in Beijing’s ongoing effort to reshape global power dynamics.
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