The Myth of China’s Rise and U.S. Decline in the Middle East.
Middle East geopolitical commentary often falls into the trap of sensationalist eulogies over the supposed demise of U.S. regional influence in face of China’s mounting heft and unstoppable sway. This narrative is frequently echoed in Chinese state speeches and media reports set against a backdrop of beautifully choreographed events and photo-ops. In the diplomatic equivalent […]
Another step in Beijing’s Bid to Reshape World Order
This was a show of power and leadership regarding the ‘Global South’ that aimed to send a message of strength and confidence to the ‘Global North’. But mostly the 11th annual Beijing Xiangshan Forum (BXF) was about putting President Xi Jinping’s framework for reshaping global governance onto the main stage. If it were the US, […]
What to Make of China’s Moves in the Middle East
In late July, 14 Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas andFatah agreed “to end their divisions and form an interim national unity government” in a “Beijing Declaration” after negotiations in the capital that began on July 21. The talks followed an earlier attempt by China to broker a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Beijing positioned itself as a would-be power […]
Teapot Refineries Undermine China’s Influence Over Iran
By Yang Xiaotong, Assistant Researcher of a private Beijing-based think tank, for SIGNAL Group As the Iran-backed Houthis up their attacks on ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab straits at the tip of the Arabian peninsula, they are causing major disruption to global trade. All eyes are on China, which is portraying itself as the […]
Knowing Yourself
Intelligence is meant to provide information about another. Gathering intelligence, one compiles data about an enemy (or a friend) seeking to establish behavioral patterns. These patterns, once established, should help explain and, at times, reveal the enemy’s propensity for decision and action or aims to provide insights into how the other will respond in a […]
China’s Middle East power play and its limitations
The discourse surrounding China’s influence in the Middle East often swings between exaggeration, such as suggesting China’s expanding presence challenges US primacy in the region, and underestimation, an argument that despite its regional clout, Beijing has little power to affect any meaningful change. In between, there lies a complex reality in which Chinese capabilities, while […]
China’s cognitive dissonance in the Israel-Hamas war
Cover Photo Credit: Illustration for The China Project by Derek Zheng The Israel-Hamas war has revealed a deep-seated cognitive dissonance emanating from Beijing’s assumptions about and approach toward the Middle East. China has sought to portray itself as a neutral party in the conflict, an apparent attempt to position itself as a peacemaker. However, Beijing […]
Of course Netanyahu must go to China
Cover Photo Credit: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on July 9, 2023. Gil Cohen-Magen / Pool via Reuters. News of Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming trip to China triggered a chorus of objections and reproach within the Israeli establishment and beyond. Nevertheless, the Israeli prime minister will travel to China. After all, geopolitical […]
Classic Sephardic Judaism, Made in China
Cover Photo: Shanghai, China, April 1910, A Purim party. Credit: Yad Vashem A formidable though short-lived Sephardi presence in early 20th-century Shanghai fostered unique interpretations of Jewish texts and perceptions. The community may have disappeared, but the ideas live on. Both in Israel and abroad Jews are lining up according to a conventional divide: the […]
Is China the next world peacemaker? – opinion
Just last month, China successfully brokered a Saudi-Iranian rapprochement and indicated that it wishes to play peacemaker between Russia and Ukraine. CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER Qin Gang attends a conference in Shanghai, last week. He has told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that Beijing is ready to help facilitate peace talks. (photo credit: ALY SONG/REUTERS) China’s […]