Thursday, January 4th, 2007...8:56 pm
China’s involvement in the Middle East: Israeli Prime Minister to visit China
China is becoming more active in regard to the conflict in the middle east. Ever since the the Israel-Lebanon war and the discussion concerning the new nuclear threat from Iran, China has been taking a more active role at the UN and the international media.
The Wok, an Israeli blog in Hebrew about China, covered the recent conference held in China regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and gave some interesting links in Chinese government announcements and media about Israel-China relations and the event :
China holds that Israel and Palestine should take concrete measures in maintaining ceasefire and the current situation, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister ZhaiJun said in Beijing Friday.
As a permanent member of UN Security Council, China has always concerned about the situation between Israel and Palestine, Zhai addressed at the Israeli-Palestinian Seminar on Peace Process in the Middle East, which was opened here Friday.
Former Minister of State of the Palestinian National Authority Abdel Kader I.F. Hamed and former Minister of Justice of Israel Yossi Beilin headed delegations from the two countries to attend the non-governmental seminar.
Zhai reiterated China’s stance in Middle East issue, saying that the peace process in the Middle East should based on the "Land for Peace" principle and relevant UN resolutions.
He urged the two sides to seize the opportunity in maintaining ceasefire progress and expanding the ceasefire scope. He also called on international community to play more positive in the Middle East issue.
And now, the Israeli Prime Minster is leaving to China for a whole week to discuss various Israeli and MiddleEastern issues with the Chinese in hope of gaining their support. Reuters reports :
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will visit China next week, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said on Thursday, the latest sign of China’s deepening involvement in the Middle East. Olmert, making his first trip to China as prime minister, would arrive on January 9 and leave on January 11, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference.
"China and the Israeli people share a profound friendship," Liu said. "We will exchange views in an in-depth way on the Middle East issue."
Olmert will be following close on the heels of Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who began a two-day visit to Beijing on Thursday.
The Olmert visit underscores the delicate balance China aims to achieve between Israel and the Palestinians, and in its approach to wider Middle East problems, as its diplomatic clout grows and energy and trade considerations force it to pay more attention to the region.
Beijing has cultivated friendly ties with both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while playing only a minor role in efforts to broker a compromise between them. Beijing hosted a three-day seminar with both Palestinian and Israeli politicians in December, the first of its kind for China.
But it had earlier angered Israel by inviting Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar to a Sino-Forum in Beijing last May. Israel said the visit harmed peace efforts and reduced pressure on Hamas, listed as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, to recognize Israel’s right to exist.
Olmert, whose trip marks 15 years of formal diplomatic relations between China and Israel, is expected to meet President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, his spokeswoman Miri Eisin said.
"There will be discussions of bilateral issues — mainly, but not only, economic," she said. "We would like to enhance cooperation in areas such as science and cultural exchanges. Israel has been assisting China in areas such as agriculture and water hydrology technology."
"I am sure the Iranian issue will come up also, though this is not the primary issue," Eisin said.
China, which wields veto power on the U.N. Security Council, backed a resolution last month imposing sanctions on Iran’s trade in sensitive nuclear materials and technology, an attempt to halt uranium enrichment work that could lead to bomb production.
But Beijing depends on Tehran for about 12 percent of its crude oil imports and has consistently urged talks to defuse the standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme, which Tehran says is for peaceful purposes.
It is interesting to note the historical family connection between Olmert - the Israeli Prime Minister - and China, as explained in Wikipedia :
According to Olmert, his parents, Bella and Mordechai, escaped "persecution in Ukraine and Russia and found sanctuary in Harbin, China. They immigrated to Israel to fulfill their dream of building a Jewish and democratic state living in peace in the land of our ancestors."
It seems that the Chinese are becoming a key player in international affairs and in the Middle East in specific, taking a more active role, and Israel will be adjusting to the new reality. It remains to be seen whether they’ll keep neutral on those issues or whether China will take sides and if so - based on what considerations.
tags: China, Israel
China’s foreign policy is based on oil/economics. Fortunately, Israel offers technology.
Yep, though I believe Israel would prefer having the more stable oil…
Yea, but look what oil has done for the Arab countries. Where would they be if their oil were to dissappear? Where are they now? Is there a single Arab oil country with what a Westerner would view as a stable and healthy society? I worry Russia is going down the same path. The only countries that do well with oil (i.e. Norway, for instance) are those that made something of themselves BEFORE striking black gold. Would Israel have succeeded in technology if it had oil or would it have just sat back and brought in migrant workers to do everything for them?
Naturally, I believe you’re right.
There are many interesting things to say about the Israeli economy in general, which constantly surprises me, especially when considering the relations with the neighboring countries (territories) with the overall messy political situation.
The more interesting point in our context is the comparison with Taiwan and Korea and their economic buildup. I think those three countries have a lot in common, even though they evolved into something a bit different (Korea with the huge family organizations, Taiwan with endless mid-range hardware firms, and Israel with software/biotech and innovation). Could it be that being small, lacking natural resources and being surrounded by hostiles does something to a country?
Those three countries have more in common than just geography. All three emphasize education, practicality and family. That must count for something too, right?