Out of Proportion: Israel's Paradox In China's Middle Eastern Policy

Abstract

After Hamas's brutal October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, China appeared to side with the Islamists, as if its relationship with the Jewish state had deteriorated beyond repair. This was accompanied by an officially inspired wave of antisemitism and votes against Israel at the United Nations. Within a few months, however, the Chinese began to tone down their response and to repair what has become an important component in their Middle East policy. Israel was the first Middle Eastern government to recognize the People's Republic, though no diplomatic relations were established between the two until January 1992. The long delay was caused by Beijing's cultivation of ties with the Arab and Muslim worlds, which required enmity toward Israel. This had been expected to be a limited partnership. However, as this article shows, Israel has played a major role in China's regional strategy, somewhat in politics but much more in economic growth, defense modernization, technology, and innovation. In relative and, in some areas, absolute terms, Israel has proved to be as important to China as other regional states, and it has often won, implicitly and even explicitly, Beijing's appreciation—out of all proportion.