Strategic Assessment

China’s national objectives and its efforts to realize them may cause crises in the region of Northeast Asia. Moreover, these crises might escalate into violence – even if only of limited dimensions – as almost occurred between China and Taiwan during March 1996. Since the end of the 1970s, Israel has developed close ties with China, and in recent years these ties have become particularly strong in the area of defense. Yet, Israel’s security is primarily dependent on its relations with the United States – a country perceived by the Chinese as being the main obstacle to achieving their national objectives. Israel thus risks finding itself between a rock and a hard place in this arena which is so rife with tension.