As tensions in the Middle East escalated, China chose to remain on the sidelines. Yet, despite criticism of its public passivity and its lack of direct influence, China appears to have achieved much of what it wanted—without becoming entangled or paying a price, either economically or diplomatically. This article reviews Beijing’s interests in the context of the Israel–Iran war and the balance of gains and losses for China at the war’s conclusion.
In May 2024, Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, was inaugurated. Since then, tensions around Taiwan have continued to escalate, including stronger rhetoric by all parties, increased US arms sales to Taiwan, legislative moves in the US Congress targeting China, and, of course, military threats by China. In early December 2024, tensions peaked when China conducted significant naval and aerial military activities around Taiwan without any prior announcement of an official exercise. Reports from Taiwan indicated that China’s...
The success of the rebel forces in Syria in bringing about the fall of Assad’s regime was seen as evidence that China had suffered yet another setback to its policy in the Middle East. Similarly, Israel’s military successes in its war against the pro-Iranian “Axis of Resistance”—Hamas, Hezbollah, and in its confrontation with Iran itself in October—were portrayed as challenges to China’s regional policy. Some commentators argued that the Axis served as an anchor for China to expand its political and diplomatic influence in the Middle...
The 2024 Zhuhai Airshow, the leading international aviation and aerospace event, served as a prominent platform for showcasing China’s military and technological capabilities. Held in November in southern China, this year’s exhibition set records for participation, featuring over 1,000 companies from 49 countries, underscoring China’s global ambitions. In addition to advanced weapon systems, such as directed energy weapons, autonomous robots, and stealth warplanes, the event highlighted China’s significant advancements in civilian...
While attacks by the Houthis on Israel and civilian shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait continue to mark the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, China has been virtually silent, with no significant condemnation, and certainly no concrete action. China has also refrained from joining the US-initiated task force to protect navigation in the region, and its warships have failed to respond to distress calls from attacked ships. Beijing’s global pretensions collide with a low glass ceiling whenever they require any substantive...
In the ongoing war against Hamas, Israel continues to invest much effort in public diplomacy in European and North American countries, and pays careful attention to the positions of the respective countries. However, it seems that a vast and important area, which includes India and Japan (also China, but its position toward Israel and the war against Hamas is known), remains marginal to Israel. India and Japan are leading countries in Asia known for their demographic dominance, and their global strategic importance is only...
Over the past decade, China has stepped up its “threat diplomacy” toward Taiwan, including military signals by air and sea, and even missile launches close to Taiwan; economic threats, including sanctions, tariffs, blockades on exports/ imports; cyber and cognitive attacks, and constant efforts to reduce global recognition of Taiwan. In addition to these threats, economic enticements are offered to those who follow China’s lead. The “threat diplomacy” intensified as Taiwan enhanced its relations with the United States, which...
While western media has widely covered the so-called “judicial reform” in Israel, with reports about this coverage frequently appearing in the Israeli media, Chinese media coverage of these events has so far evaded the Israeli audience. As the Chinese authorities, of course, do not perceive the idea of liberal democracy as particularly appealing, and since the media in China is subject to strict scrutiny and censorship, Chinese coverage of the “reform” and the protests against it are presented somewhat differently than in democratic...
In December 2022 Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia and held a series of summit meetings with leaders of Arab states in general and the Gulf states in particular. Before, during, and after the visit, various headlines trumpeted a “new era” of Chinese relations with the Middle East, while speculating in this context as to China’s Iran policy. Yet while there were some developments in these relations, in many respects, little is new – although sometimes, continuity itself can point to what is new. What are the new...
Recent weeks have seen numerous reports about protests in China against the strict “zero-COVID” policy and in some cases, even against the regime itself. In tandem, speculations arise regarding the nature of the protests, accompanied, perhaps, by a touch of the various authors’ wishful thinking. It is therefore important to clarify: the protests do not constitute a clear and present danger to the government, and for the most part are not calling for its overthrow. The frequent comparisons to the events of Tianenman Square in 1989 are...
