Since the beginning of the conflict, China has categorically rejected the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians and the collective punishment of the population of Gaza. It supports the establishment of a humanitarian relief mechanism and continues to provide humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The recent Gaza war in October 2023 also demonstrated a growing Chinese desire to build on a previous invitation by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to host Palestinian and Israeli leaders, which he officially announced during his Gulf tour in March 2021 as part of China’s diplomatic agenda to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Beijing exploited its assumption of the UN Security Council presidency in February 2024 to accuse Washington of obstructing the Security Council, standing against international justice, and showing indifference to the suffering of the Palestinians. This came after Washington blocked a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and after the US Congress and the White House approved arms sales to Israel.
China’s official confirmation also indicated that it is imperative to prevent the continued negative repercussions of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, given the realistic need to prevent the situation in the region from spiraling out of control. The recent escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel is the latest manifestation of the spillover effects of the conflict in Gaza. On the popular side and in Chinese public opinion, Chinese popular sympathy and Beijing’s official position of support for the Palestinian people’s struggle increased immediately after the Gaza War in October 2023. This was confirmed by Chinese Foreign Minister “Wang Yi”, who stated that the conflict in Gaza has crossed a red line for modern civilization and that urgent action is required by the international community. The Chinese minister stressed the need to rectify what he described as the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people. China also officially confirmed that Beijing will work with the international community to mobilize efforts to implement a ceasefire and ensure safe access for urgent humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. While China categorically rejects any forced displacement or collective punishment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Chinese leaders have emphasized the need to prevent the repercussions of the conflict from spilling over beyond the Gaza Strip so that the situation in the region does not spiral out of control. The Chinese government believes that achieving peace requires achieving justice for the Palestinians and resolving the security concerns of all parties. Official Chinese statements have identified the conflict in the Gaza Strip as the root cause of the current escalation in the Red Sea.
This coincided with the announcement by major Chinese shipping companies, such as COSCO and OKOL, that they would suspend trade with Israel since the Houthis began their attacks in the Red Sea, considering this a commercial boycott of Tel Aviv. This was reflected in a public opinion poll conducted and put to a public referendum in April 2024 by the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. The poll showed that 54% of Israelis view China as an unfriendly and hostile country, while 15% view it as a friendly and allied country. Another 31% responded, “I don’t know.”
Beijing stood with the Palestinian people against the Israeli military aggression and genocide against the people of the Gaza Strip and the severe humanitarian crisis, deaths, and injuries caused by the Israeli military operations in the Strip. China’s political position on the Palestinian issue has remained unchanged and consistent since the first day of the conflict. Beijing supports the Palestinian people in their struggle to achieve their rights and establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. It supports the two-state solution. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has put forward several initiatives in international forums. Beijing also sent humanitarian aid to Gaza and held an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to call for a ceasefire and a solution to the current crisis. It has also made significant contributions to reuniting the Palestinian family by holding dialogues between various Palestinian factions and inviting them to the heart of the Chinese capital, Beijing, including the Islamic Jihad movement, which the United States and the West officially classify as a terrorist group. Beijing succeeded in uniting all Palestinian factions by inviting them to China to sign the Palestinian Reunification Agreement, also known as the “Beijing Agreement,” in July 2024. Here, Beijing officially recognized the legitimacy of the Palestinian armed resistance, considering its actions a struggle, in contrast to the positions of Western countries that view Israel as conducting counterterrorism operations.
China is currently keen to secure the maritime straits in the Middle East and the Egyptian Suez Canal to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip. Therefore, China is keen to urge the Iranian side to de-escalate the current escalation in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, especially since the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced the dispatch of escort ships for commercial vessels accompanied by more than 200 Chinese officers and soldiers, as well as units from the Chinese Special Forces. China believes that targeting Red Sea territorial waters, straits, and maritime navigation in the Middle East has a negative impact on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the stricken Strip. Beijing views the Red Sea as an important international corridor for the transport of goods and energy. Maintaining peace, security, and safety in the Red Sea is crucial for maintaining the flow of global industrial and supply chains and the international trade system and is consistent with the common interests of the countries of the region and the international community. Therefore, the Chinese side expressed its deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Red Sea since the outbreak of the conflict between Hamas and Israel in October 2023 and the resulting negative repercussions on the interests of countries in the region, particularly those bordering the Red Sea, the increased security risks in the entire region, and the negative impact on global economic recovery.
China has officially affirmed its willingness to work with the international community to advance the Palestinian cause, to adhere to the vision that the security of nations is indivisible, and to dedicate Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative and his other initiatives to global development, dialogue of civilizations, and dialogue among the developing countries of the Global South, with China as its leader, responsible party, and global supporter as the largest developing country in the world. China will also promote the concept of “common, integrated, and cooperative security,” take into account the reasonable security concerns of all parties, support the establishment of a balanced, effective, and sustainable regional security equation in the Middle East to resolve the Palestinian issue, and play a constructive role in jointly finding a political solution to the current crisis in the Gaza Strip. China will also make greater contributions to maintaining lasting security and safety in the region to achieve lasting peace in the world.
China has always been concerned about Israel being an ally of the United States, Beijing’s main geopolitical rival. China’s UN Ambassador, Zhang Jun, who assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council in November 2023, stated that “China calls on the major power with the greatest influence on the relevant party to set aside its own interests and geopolitical considerations and make every effort to end the war and restore peace.” China’s Permanent Representative to the UN“ Zhang Jun”, implicitly assumed that Washington has a stake in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. In recent years, China has increasingly relied on non-Western partners, most notably Russia, while also significantly increasing its global visibility. For the past few decades, China has largely stayed out of the Middle East conflict. However, China’s agenda and strategy have now shifted to playing a mediating role, as seen in its mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In April 2023, China successfully brought about a rapprochement between the two Gulf rivals, and as a result, it made global headlines as a mediator.
Accordingly, Beijing currently hopes to revive the comprehensive regional and international peace process between all conflicting powers and parties in the Middle East, most notably by bringing about a breakthrough in the hostility between Tehran and Tel Aviv and by reaching a comprehensive settlement plan between Hamas and Israel.
