Richard Heydarian

Opinion | Israel-Gaza war: why China is seen as indispensable to global security

China’s refusal to condemn Hamas and stated neutrality have won it diplomatic points across the Muslim world and raised its standing in the Middle East. This has positioned China to advocate for peace in a turbulent region

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Richard Heydarian

Published: 5:30am, 20 Oct 2023

“As a friend to both Israel and Palestine, what we hope to see is the two countries living together in peace … The key to achieving that lies in the realisation of the two-state solution and establishment of an independent state of Palestine,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said amid the latest round of clashes between Israel and Hamas.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that “China believes that the historical injustices against Palestine have lasted for more than half a century and cannot go on”. Accordingly, he emphasised that “China is ready to work with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states to continue supporting the Palestinians’ just cause of restoring their national rights”.

China’s stance has won it diplomatic points across the Muslim world, where top leaders have lamented the West’s seeming neglect of Palestinian rights and lives.

Understandably, China’s broadly neutral position received criticism from Israel and its Western allies, who have demanded categorical support for their ongoing military operations against the Hamas militant group in Gaza.

Recognising Beijing’s growing influence, both the United States and Israel have nevertheless sought China’s assistance to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East. By all indications, China is now in position to advocate for peace in one of the most vital and turbulent regions of the world. Accordingly, China is cementing its position as one of the pillars of the Global South amid the decline of the West as the ultimate arbiter of international order.

China’s diplomatic foray into the Middle East is no trivial matter. In geopolitical terms, the region represents the most intractable puzzle: enmities are ancient, imperial ambitions run deep and violent rivalries tend to be the norm. Add to this the region’s role as the top global supplier of oil and gas.