China's Power Play in the Middle East: Shaping Peace and Unveiling its broader strategy
Zhai Jun, China's special envoy to the Middle East, is actively promoting peace talks between Israel and Hamas during his whirlwind tour Despite not explicitly naming the Palestinian militant group, Beijing's refusal to condemn them showcases their pro-Palestinian stance
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However, brokering peace presents a significant challenge, particularly for a country that lacks the necessary skills and knowledge in mediating a longstanding and complex conflict. This is further compounded by its limited political and security influence in a region deeply divided on the issue. Consequently, very few experts or individuals familiar with the Middle East anticipate that Zhais visit will result in any tangible progress towards achieving peace.
"China seeks to assume a diplomatic role, urging for calm and de-escalation while simultaneously expressing steadfast support for Palestine," stated Sanam Vakil, the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
"This approach should be perceived as opportunistic... China has not historically excelled in acting as an unbiased mediator in this conflict. Therefore, the extent of China's contribution lies in providing symbolic diplomatic backing."
A Palestinian woman mourns over the body of a relative killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza, on Sunday, October 22.
Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on October 22.
Relatives mourn for a man killed by Hamas during his funeral in Nir Oz, Israel, on October 22.
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IDF soldiers clean the barrel of a tank in southern Israel on October 21.
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Trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter Gaza from Egypt at the Rafah border crossing on October 21.
Palestinians inspect a destroyed area following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on October 21.
Children use candles for lighting in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Friday, October 20.
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Women grieve at an event for the families of Israelis who are missing or being held hostage in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 20.
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A man carries a wounded child at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on October 19.
Friends and relatives of Ofir Libstein gather in Even Yehuda, Israel, on Wednesday, October 18, to mourn his death. Ofir, who formerly held the position of head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, tragically passed away during the Kibbutz Kfar Aza attack. The funeral is a somber occasion as loved ones pay their final respects to him. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
A Palestinian man inspects a destroyed house belonging to the Al-Jazzar family after an airstrike in Rafah, Gaza, on October 18.
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The aftermath of a devastating explosion can be seen in this view of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Palestinian authorities have attributed this tragedy to continued Israeli airstrikes, while a representative of the Israel Defense Forces has claimed that a Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization is to blame for a botched rocket launch that struck the hospital.
Wounded Palestinians sit on the floor at the Al-Shifa Hospital after being transported from the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital following a blast there on Tuesday, October 17.
Bodies of Palestinians killed in the blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital lie in front of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 17.
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Aid supplies are seen in North Sinai, Egypt on October 16.
Palestinians wait to cross into Egypt at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza on October 16.
People hold Israeli flags as friends and family mourn Dor Reder at his funeral in Beit Kama, southern Israel, on October 16.
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People carry children as they flee following an Israeli strike on Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday, October 15.
Palestinians collect water from a tap on October 15 after Israel blocked supplies of electricity, food, water and fuel to Gaza.
People react at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on Saturday, October 14.
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Leaflets dropped from Israeli army planes fall over Gaza City on Friday, October 13.
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Israeli artillery fires on the Israel-Gaza border on October 13.
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on October 13.
A Palestinian child is injured during bombing in Gaza on October 13.
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Mourners attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Abraham Cohen at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Thursday, October 12.
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Palestinians seek shelter in Khan Younis, Gaza, after a house next door was hit by an Israeli airstrike on October 12.
A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12.
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A Palestinian woman covered in dust and dirt carries a child in Gaza City on October 12.
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Mourners react beside the body of Mapal Adam during her funeral in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 11.
Palestinians run from Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis, Gaza, on October 11.
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Bullet holes can be observed in a damaged window situated at the entrance of a kindergarten in Be'eri, Israel, on October 11. The rural community, which sustains itself through agriculture, located near Gaza, was among the initial targets of the Hamas militants on October 7. (Baz Ratner/AP)
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Israeli forces in Kfar Aza, a village situated on the Israeli-Gaza border, were seen carrying a body on October 10. The Israel Defense Forces informed CNN that Hamas militants were responsible for a devastating assault in Kfar Aza, which they described as a "massacre."
During the funeral in Ashkelon, Israel, on October 10, individuals gathered to mourn at the grave of Eden Guez. Tragically, she lost her life while attending the Nova Festival, which was targeted by terrorists from Gaza. Israeli authorities reported a minimum of 260 fatalities in the attack.
Israeli soldiers take position in Kfar Aza near the border with Gaza on October 10.
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People gather around the bodies of two Palestinian reporters, Mohammed Soboh and Said al-Tawil, who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on October 10.
A Palestinian man reacts as he carries the body of his cousin who was pulled from the rubble after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Monday, October 9.
A family takes shelter at a neighbor's house after their home was damaged in an Israeli airstrike in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza on October 9.
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Friends and relatives of Ilai Bar Sade mourn next to his grave during his funeral at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 9.
Lightning strikes over Gaza City following an Israeli bombardment on October 9.
Israeli soldiers take position near the border between Gaza and Israel on October 9.
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Israeli security and emergency officials respond after a rocket landed in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Ilit, in the occupied West Bank, on October 9.
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Palestinians remove a body from the rubble of a building after an Israeli airstrike on the Jebaliya refugee camp in Gaza on October 9.
The mother of Israeli Col. Roi Levy cries during her son's funeral at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on October 9.
Palestinians inspect damage from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City's Shati refugee camp on October 9.
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Israelis view a damaged residential building in Ashkelon after it was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza on October 9.
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An Israeli soldier prays standing in front of a tank on the outskirts of the northern town of Kiryat Shmona on October 8.
Israelis inspect the rubble of a building in Tel Aviv on October 8, a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza.
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Palestinians search the rubble of a home in Khan Younis that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes on October 8.
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From the window of his family's apartment, a man surveys damage from a rocket that struck a parking lot in Ashkelon on October 7.
Palestinians gather around an Israeli army vehicle that Palestinian militants drove from Israel into Gaza on October 7.
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Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket in Ashkelon on October 7.
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Vehicles in Ashkelon burn as rockets are launched from Gaza on October 7.
Israelis donate blood in Jerusalem on October 7.
Palestinians inspect a destroyed building as emergency responders try to contain fires after Israeli jets bombed Gaza on October 7.
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A building in Tel Aviv is ablaze Saturday, October 7, following rocket attacks from Gaza.
People take cover in a bomb shelter in Rishon Lezion, Israel, as rockets are launched from Gaza on October 7.
Rockets are fired toward Israel from Gaza on October 7.
Fatima Shbair/AP
The escalating crisis is deepening a rift in the global geopolitical arena, a division that has already been exacerbated by Russia's aggressive incursion into Ukraine. This divide was prominently evident last week, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed his "long-time companion" Vladimir Putin to Beijing and praised the strengthening political bond between their nations, just hours before Biden's arrival in Israel to express solidarity with the United States' closest ally in the Middle East.
"You can include Iran in this relationship too. They have this broad objective of weakening the Western order, and it tactically plays out in the region."
China and Russia condemn Israel as divisions with the West intensify. In line with this strategic partnership, the Chinese envoy's initial meeting upon arriving in the Middle East was with his Russian counterpart.
China's foreign minister accused Israel of exceeding the limits of self-defense, whereas Russia's UN envoy likened Israel's continuous bombardment of Hamas-controlled Gaza to the ruthless siege of Leningrad in World War II. According to Li Mingjiang, an associate professor of international relations at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, there is a significant contrast between the current positions of the United States, China, and Russia.
China's support for the Palestinian cause has a long history and is rooted in revolutionary ideology. During Mao Zedong's time, China provided arms and training to Palestinian militant groups as part of its support for national liberation movements in the Cold War era.
However, after Mao's death in 1976 and China's reform and opening up, the country adopted a more practical approach to foreign policy. While still politically supporting the Palestinian cause and being one of the first nations to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state in 1988, China also developed warmer relations with Israel and established formal diplomatic ties in 1992.
"China perceives the Middle East as a region where Israel will always align itself with the United States, making it advantageous to express criticism towards Israel in order to gain favor with a significant group of Arab nations," stated Fulton from the Atlantic Councils.
Mediator role
Despite China's recent success in mediating a reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, experts do not anticipate a significant deviation in the outcome this time around. According to experts, although China's presence in the Middle East has expanded, its focus in the region remains primarily economic. Additionally, its interactions with regional actors are mostly transactional in nature.
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China wants to be a peace broker in the Middle East. How has it responded to the Israel-Gaza war?
According to her, Middle Eastern states are not seeking help from China to initiate a diplomatic process for peace. They are well aware of the restrictions and limitations of China's contributions," she stated.
She believes that China's capabilities extend only to demonstrating diplomatic efforts, as they lack the capacity to effectively manage or reduce the intensity of this conflict.
