China and Gaza
Shortly after Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary elections in January 2006, I went to Gaza to find out how victory had changed a movement mostly known for its armed activities (I was one of the BBC's Middle East Correspondents at the time).
My colleagues and I interviewed a senior Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, who'd just been appointed Foreign Minister. We asked him about the fact that many Western governments had decided to boycott the Hamas-led administration. He didn't seem to mind the boycott all that much. He let us know that he was in a hurry because he had to go off to meet a Chinese delegation. Now, of course, I wish I'd asked him exactly who whom he was planning to meet.
China isn't particularly known for its diplomatic involvement in the Middle East conflict. One of China's famous ground rules has been not to get too involved in other people's conflicts.
But as China's power has grown, that ground rule has begun to erode. In order to protect its own position, China now finds that it cannot always sit to one side. So, this country now plays an active role in diplomatic talks with both North Korea and Iran. It's got its own special envoy to Darfur. It takes part in negotiations over climate change and world trade.
In other words, if you want to solve any of the world's major problems you've got to get China involved.
Because of this, some have called for China to play a much bigger role in resolving the crisis in Gaza. There's an argument that China is the only permanent member of the United Nations Security Council which would be seen as a neutral broker in the conflict.
But so far, China has decided to engage at its own pace. The Chinese government has called for an end to armed conflict in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry has announced a donation of $1m in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
You may be surprised to learn that China does actually have its own Special Envoy to the Middle East. The envoy's name is Ambassador Sun Bigan. He's been doing the job since April 2006. He is a deliberately low-profile, even semi-anonymous figure. During recent days he's been holding talks here in Beijing with foreign diplomats. "He will be making unremitting efforts" to secure a ceasefire, says the Foreign Ministry.
For now, these efforts do not appear to include an immediate trip to the Middle East itself. The Foreign Ministry has declined to say when Mr Sun might return to the region.
I’m 
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Is it possible for China, sinking deep in serious problems itstelf, to help solve a crisis which has been going on for decades and will continuse so for an another 100 years, to say the least?
On one side of the roundtable is a country that claims to have lost its land which must be taken back at all expense, whereas on the other side is a country that has enjoyed the mighty support of the world's sole superpower and also extends claim to the same piece of land.
How to broach the thorny topic of peaceful co-existence? If the goal is not a fantasy, it must be beyond the current abilities (national, military, diplomatic, etc.) of China to reach.
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China should stay out of the middle east affairs.Both Isreal and Arabs countries are friends to the Chinese. Isrealis are more friendlier,but China's policies seem to lean towards the Arabs.
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it's important not to blanket middle east as a whole region. Each particular geopolitical faction has its significance with China. Iran holds key oil reserves and a pipeline deal with China. Hamas on the other hand does not. Ever since Israel cancelled military projects with China (under US pressure), Chinese involvement with Israel has also diminished.
Therefore, China has almost nothing to gain by trying to neutrally broker any deals in that particular region. However, Iran or even Iraq brings different prospects. Whether America and EU would even accept a Chinese led diplomatic event over the French one for example is also highly doubtful.
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Watch out, china, this is an extremely complicated situation. The west used UN as a tool to creat and transplant a "Country" in the middleeast. Unfair to start with, after so many years of bloodshed there is no solution in sight. They have never expressed any slightest guilt for inhumanly creating the problem. They are acting like peace makers not trouble makers. Now they want to pull you in in the name of peace for the people. Be careful. Our confucianism does not allow us to get involve in others' conflicts in an aggressive way.
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James, just a general comment on your China blog... I have followed it from the start and always relish the posts for the things it brings out that one wouldn't see anywhere else outside of China. As a Briton studying Chinese language and culture, this is an integral element of my exposure, so thank you very much for your interesting work.
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China will naturally get more involved in international conflicts. The difference with Western democracies being that the strong majority in mainland China will stay maintain that China is a peaceful country and continue to back their government.
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Don't mean distrust, but James do you have any evidence chinese delegates are meeing Hamas? you know it is quite serious claim. You could be sued if it is just another media spin.
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i very glad to see china has getting involved with many international issues. it means that china is getting stronger after so manys years of sovling its internal problems. the west always suppresses or hinders the growing of this country since its foundationb in 1945. they are wait and see the collapse of this socialist country like Soviet Union. and they are critisizing china all the time for its huamn rights, or the issue of dalai lama, even interfere in the unification of taiwan.
now, the situation is completely changed. the west need china too. they shall not ignore this.
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Not only China,but the other East Asian Countries like Japan,Korea,Vietnam and Thailand should be roped in to help in the healing process.East Asians do not have this notion of the Isrealis(by Christians) or Arabs(by Muslims) as being God's chosen peoples and would ideally be suited to act as neutral peacemakers.The only problem though would be their Confusian/Buddhist cultures which would make them very reluctant to be involved.The West is still not ready to involve China in what was their traditional sphere of influence.
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It's good if China can really help on this long-term troublesome isse, but I don't expect too much.
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but China *is* a middle-east nation itself. The western-lying areas of China are inhabited by the Uighurs, who speak a Turkic language and have closer ethnic and cultural ties to their cousins across the border in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzia than any common kin with the Han.
China's gravest fear is that the Western provinces - who live in abject poverty by comparison with the rest of China - may rebel against Beijing's miserable Han-dominated racist rule, and take up common cause with their Turkic neighbours.
The Great Game is still being played out here, and China has to decide if it wishes to keep those Western provinces willingly by giving them a lifestyle similar to the rest of the country - or face their ire when they're left to rot in medieval poverty as at present.
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Perhaps China getting involved may give a more neutral aspect to the talks. All the news in the west is always pro-Israel as Israel is the wests friend. That's not to say that Hamas is correct in some aspects of what it does, but neither is Israel, which oft times seem to be forgotten. It's certainly better than the US's gung-ho approach of schoolboy rules.
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James
Whilst I enjoy all your posts I am surprised by your choice of topics. You ignored the Chinese ships to Aden story and you have ignored the Taiwan issue. Your choice seems eccentric. But I am very glad you are posting again.
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From The Art of War:
It is smarter to control behind the scenes than exposing yourself to the full.
I believe this remains a cardinal principle of international diplomacy in China.
shrewd move, I would say, given the repulsive example of 'international police' that the U.S. has set up across the world.
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If by some magical method, China could 'order' Hamas and Israel to ceasefire, then do it!
But this is neither here or there. Obviously the US should be the ones orchestrating the ceasefires... see what Obama thinks.
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During the WWII, many Jews seek safety in China and they had it, even during our most difficult time. The friendship or the old debt is a common language between Chinese and Jews.
However, it is difficult for common Chinese to understand why Israel/Jews end up with such bad relationships with their neighbors, as we see Arabs are cordialness and religion should promote humanity. In this regard, I think China can only do what we habit to deal with troubled relationship.
The Arab and Palestinian had long been living in the land alongside with Jews, they should have able to sort it out eventually.
The true cause of the conflict is people outside region are too passionately support one side to overwhelm/insert rights over others - that creates a source of grievance can drag for years to come. How Israel can have safety when they don't allow others to feel save, is beyond our understand.
Even if Israel won this war and politicians get to the throne, I can't see caged human beings - Palestinians/Arab will turn to accept Israel.
It is Israel must learn to love outside Jewish community. To use a western idiom, king of jungle must allow others to enjoy the same jungle, so he can actually has a kingdom to speak of.
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#4
"Our confucianism does not allow us to get involve in others' conflicts in an aggressive way."
What about Korea?
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Only fools would get themselves into this conflict.
I believe Chinese government are smarter than James Reynolds thinks they are.
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This blog used to have personal comments but now it is more like a general news report with little personal idea.
Anyway, as long as the American still want to dominate in the Middle East, whatever Israel does will be supported by the US. Problems in Gaza is now used to divide the Muslim world and to form pro-US and anti-US countries. By dividing the Muslim world, the US can play a strong role and control.
China can affect the Middle East peace process, because China got lots of US dollars. China can affect US policy on the Middle East by threatening to sell the dollars; however, China needs to keep the foreign reserve as cards for the Taiwan, Tibet and other problems. Same tactics, the US is using these issues to divide China.
I hope that China can quickly solve the problems in Taiwan and Tibet peacefully. Then China will be united and can start helping the Middle East people.
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Perhaps China has recognized that the Palestians are Asians just as they themselves are. It is sad that the Race Card has always got to be played, but this is the problem brought into the Middle East by America's view of the world.
Jewish writers such as Sander Gilmer and others have pointed out that Israel is America's White Client State in the Middle East. Therefore if the Israelis are White, then the Palestinians must be Negroes. This is why Israel can claim so much in common with the US.
There has been no major comment on Israel's decission not to allow anymore immigration of the Falashas, the Black or Ethiopian Jews to enter. Other than the CBC Report, this racists matter has been glossed over, just like the gradual starvation of the people of Gaza has. It seems when you are black, you are only human when your labor is called for.
And as far as the Falashas are concerned, all Jews are suppose to have the right to live in Isreal, not just White Jews. And as for the hatred of the Jews for the Arabs who live in Palestine, they should remember, it was the "White" Europeans, i.e Germans who devised the Holocaust, not the black Arabs. The Arabs all thoughout Western History and civilization had and have given the Jew refuge, while the White Peoples, the US included, turned their backs on them.
The Race Card is a funny card: Black on one side; White on the other. Whose side are you on?
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#24
People call it "help Korea to repel aggression". :)
The purposes of aggression often are obtaining land and money. But what China got after Korea war is only Peace.
Just see which country still has army in Korea.
That's the difference.
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I think it would be good for China to get involved in the talks. World politics has been dominated by certain countries for far too long - it needs to be more multipolar. China, as a growing power itself with strong influences in its region, cannot simply sit idly by.
China needs to do more - by helping others, it should allow other countries to help it - and I think that's good. It should work both ways. (There is the human rights dialogue with certain countries behind the scenes but not sure how that's going.) The whole "non-interference" policy with other countries is just to avoid its own problems - human rights, Taiwan, Tibet etc. etc. where in some cases there has been little/no progress. I fail to see how such a government as China's can continue to sustain the current "non-interference" in its entirerity for too long.
Some may disagree there, but if it does assist not just in the Middle East, but elsewhere (e.g. the terrible regime in Burma - and North Korea as it is doing...) it may have more confidence to deal with its own problems in a more transparent manner rather than spinning the same old rhetoric.
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@laowai.
That war happened when China was under Maoism.
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Quote Reiner Torheit ?China?s ... Western provinces ... rebel against Beijing's *miserable Han-dominated racist rule*,?
To BBC moderator, I find this post violates house rule.
To Reiner Torheit (#15),
You need not listen to the exiles exclusively. Ethnic Uyghur is a merge of 10 ethnic groups originated in the Republic of Mongolia and Russia. The largest group was called Huihu. They were Buddhist nomads who migrated to West China recently. They are converted to Islam relatively recently. Turkey is the West most nation of ?Turkic language?. From Japan, Korea, to Mongolia and Russia, many speak ?Turkic languages?. To put it simple, Uyghurs are not descendents of the Turks, but they are closely related to the Mongols. If Europe wants to have an independent Eastern Turkistan, it has to be in the Republic of Mongolia. Besides, Europe should tolerate the vision of Western Turkistan as well. Guess where it will be?
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24 laowai1979
Yes I agree Korea war is a perfect example of political aggression. Even pacific would not stop US attack a country next to china's border. China normally would not bother until severe invasion of living space.
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To Reiner_Torheit.Sir,China has never been a racist state.Even during imperial times government officials were selected on merit,not race, social class or religion.The so call Han Chinese is actually not a "race".It was for people whose ancestors originated from the Han Dynasty and these include people who can hardly understand each other's spoken language and practice different religions.The Chinese people has always recognise these differences and that is why despite its large size and population,there has never been a racial or religious war in China's long history.
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James:
[But so far, China has decided to engage at its own pace. The Chinese government has called for an end to armed conflict in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry has announced a donation of $1m in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.]
It is always important move at your own pace and speed to nativigate a sensitive issue such as this problem...And, I am very glad with the decision of the donation to help the Palestinian people.....
~Dennis Junior~
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China has done enough: it has clearly called for cease-fire, and has made donation for humanitarian aid. Although being a growing power, or even, to some people, a superpower-to-be, China will never be as meddlesome as some other countries, and will always advocate that conflict must be resolved by dialogue.
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it is ironic that china,a country which has
swallowed hundreds of sq.km of land from countries like india and vietnam is trying to
solve crisis in gaza.....
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comment #28
"And as for the hatred of the Jews for the
Arabs who live in Palestine ; they should
remember it was the "white" Europeans, ie
Germans who devised the Holocaust, not the black Arabs. "
you don't have to remind them that.
Last year when the German chancellor
visited Israel and addressed in the parliament , there were wide scale protests in Tel Aviv.Some ministers deliberately didn't show up in the parliament
one of them told in an interview
"i will never want to listen a single word in
German...those were the last words my
grandparents heard before their 'final solution'...".
marygrav,how would you feel abt militants
who fire rockets into your country,everyday?
the real culprit is not Israel,its the Hamas
militants.Eventhough they know the consequences of provoking Israel ,they
continue firing rockets into Israel.I am not
supporting Israeli invasion on Gaza, but why
would the Hamas provoke someone whose surely going thrash them if they start responding to the rockets...".
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James Reynold knows it very well that China is wise enough to do its political job in the best way all over the world and in Gaza, Iran, North Korea and in Libya. Their last decade's behaviours tiowards other nations are just opposite to the USA political and military policy in the world. USA's policy is based upon oppression that tries to provide lifelong enemies for herself and her allies all over the world,especialy in Middle East, while China tries to be friendly with all nations and this is really a danger for the bulllying countries, especially USA and Israel. USA and Israel can't bully other nations for ever. they will be defeated in the future and China with India would probably stand at the top if USA and Israel continue their present policy in the region and throughout the world.
God help oppressors
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#37 by poorindian
"it is ironic that china,a country which has
swallowed hundreds of sq.km of land from countries like india and vietnam is trying to
solve crisis in gaza...."
Re:
Is it more ironic that a country like Briton which swallowed all your land is trying to solve crisis in gaza?
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Well, the 1.5m residents of Gaza are almost all classed as refugees, and almost all relying directly or indirectly on international assistance for their daily needs.
Even before the current crisis, we were reminded daily about their squalid conditions and lack of hope.
Maybe China would offer to accept them all as refugees. A mere drop in the ocean with their massive population. And it would certainly make it harder for Hamas to dig rocket smuggling tunnels to Egypt.
No, it won't work. 60 years on, all the peace plans and initiatives so far have done little more than exacerbate the situation. If the Arab world prefer to leave Gaza festering on Israel's borders, I doubt China can be expected to do any better.
Mind you, at least Palestinians will find lots to harp on about "Human rights oppressions" and "crimes against humanity" in China, without the need to fire rockets at anyone. Israel has not yet been accused of harvesting the kidneys of political prisoners, although, after the loony claims of them distributing 'radioactive chocolate' and 'infertility chewing gum', it can't be far away.
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It is always tactful to considering carefully before getting involved with the affairs of other nations -- a wisdom that our lame duck president Mr. Bush never fully grasped. I echo the comments of 39 Taspar. Interventionism, under any guise, is generally not good diplomacy. The Chinese model is winning allies everywhere, much to the chagrin of the West.
RE: Korea
Factual evidence is clear that MacArthur fully wanted to cross the Yalu and also utilize nuclear weapons. Only Truman's wise restraint prevented WWIII. The Americans had no business being in Korea. Assuming, arguendo, that helping S. Korea was legitimate, all semblance of that legitimacy went out the window the moment forces refused to stop at the 38th parallel and pushed north to the Yalu. In such a situation, out of sheer national security, China had to act. A very good point was made here in a comment ... which nation still has a military presence in Korea, or for that matter, in many other places in the world, oceans removed from the boundaries of that nation's own locality?
James -- Low profile diplomacy is the best kind of diplomacy, although you may not think so because it puts journalists out of a job! A little discretion goes a long ways.
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china is rich,chinese is poor.
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