A series of reports in Australia on Chinese influence on Australia’s economy, political arena, and academic world has led to public protest, and elected officials on the Australian continent were forced to pass new legislation and impose regulations to curb foreign influences in politics and tighten regulation on investments. The tension at universities intensified to the point where China was compelled to issue a rare warning to Chinese students in Australia out of concern for their safety, after a number of incidents where Chinese...
This article analyzes the economic relations between China and Israel, from the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992 until the present. On the basis of this analysis, questions regarding the future of these relations and possible directions for development will be raised, and a framework for preferred relations will be suggested. A central question is: can Israel-China relations develop in directions that are desirable and beneficial for Israel’s national economic interest, and if so, how? Since the establishment of...
In 2017, Israel and China marked 25 years of diplomatic relations. The establishment of diplomatic relations was made possible in part by geo-strategic changes – the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Communist bloc, and the Madrid Peace Conference in November 1991. During a single week in January 1992, Israel established relations with both China and with India. The nature of Israel-China relations has changed over the years. In general, the first decade of relations focused on close relations between the military...
Recent developments indicate a shift in Turkey’s strategic outlook, which dovetails with intensive activity by Russia and China – each for its own reasons – in the Western-Asian-East European sphere, raising the possibility of long term change with extensive consequences that include ramifications for Israel. Turkey has demonstrated increased distance from the United States and the European Union on several core issues, with the most important among them the procurement – despite the objections of the US and...
The race for dominance in the data highways of the future is at the forefront of the strategic competition between the United States and China. The two powers compete for other countries’ support and infrastructure, seeking to obtain technological, economic, and security advantages. Banning Chinese companies from fifth generation infrastructure (5G) projects is the most explicit demand the United States administration has made of Israel, including clear linkage to American security assistance and intelligence cooperation. Thus, it is...
A series of “volcanic” eruptions are reported around the world: “trade war,” mutual imposition of tariffs, sanctions on companies, military signaling in the South China Sea, summits between leaders, and temporary “ceasefires.” All are manifestations of the historic clash between the “tectonic plates” of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. Like the processes that shaped the earth, the collision will shape the landscape for future generations:...
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced recently in Moscow that China stands ready to participate in Syria’s reconstruction. Some see this as a confirmation of their assessment that China will assume a significant role in the reconstruction, realizing its impressive capabilities in building infrastructure. Such reports generally link the issue to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and some have gone as far as to warn that there are inherent security risks for Israel. As with other issues pertaining to China and its...
The INSS 12th annual international conference addressed the web of challenges and opportunities Israel faces at the start of 2019. As in previous years, we chose strategic issues from the different spheres – domestic, regional, and international – that make up Israel’s strategic reality, and examine these individually and in context of one another. Continuing a trend from our previous conferences, we approached Israel’s national security priorities critically from a variety of perspectives.
The Israel-China Innovation Conference, held in Jerusalem on October 24-25, 2018, signals a new era in Israel-China relations. Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan attended the conference, heading a large delegation of senior officials and businessmen; Wang is the highest ranking Chinese official to visit Israel since 2000. It thus appears that the upgrade of political relations between the two countries matches the tightening of economic relations. At the same time, criticism has been voiced in Israel regarding Chinese investments in...
China’s increasing involvement in Europe, against the background of its growing economic and political strength in the international domain, creates both risks and opportunities. From an economic viewpoint, the trade between China and Europe continues to grow, and is matched by greater Chinese investment in Europe, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, there are substantive political disputes between the sides, particularly with respect to violations of human rights and the status of China in the World Trade...
The European Union in Turbulent Times: Challenges, Trends, and Signifcance for Israel maps, reviews, and analyzes the urgent issues on the European agenda. The essays in this collection review the political, social, and economic consequences of these issues and assess their significance, both for Europe and for Israel.
Depicted at 2018 Munich Security Conference is a challenging view of the global security environment, marked by a dangerous combination of worsening trends regarding the world’s climate, economy, and society; weakening strategic architectures; challenging technologies; and volatile crisis areas, led by North Korea and Syria. The Palestinian issue was marginalized, given its low influence on Middle East problems in general. Indeed, the Middle East is a secondary focus of attention for the international community, currently occupied...
