Beijing looks to be shifting to more neutral stance on Israel-Palestine war

As Israel's war in Gaza drags on with more regional players being drawn in, Asian powers are monitoring developments and subtly calibrating their foreign policies. The Straits Times looks at how China and India are navigating these complexities.

- Lim Min Zhang

China appears to be projecting a more neutral position between Israel and its Iran-backed opponents as it seeks to bolster its peacemaking credentials in a region where its interests are growing.

More than a year since the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel, which has spiralled into a broader conflict in the Middle East, China is recalibrating its stance amid a string of Israeli military successes that could tilt the balance against Iran, a key strategic partner for Beijing.

On Oct 8, 2024, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, responding when asked about what China would do to promote a ceasefire, said Beijing has proposed a "three-step initiative" on the Gaza conflict, which identifies the "two-state solution as the fundamental way forward".

"The legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people need to be realised and the reasonable security concerns of Israel need to be paid attention to," she added, sparking discussion among observers of China-Israel relations.

This was the first time in a year that China has made a public statement which mentions Israel's security concerns as such. China has been seen to have taken up the Palestinian cause, on the back of widespread international anger at US-backed Israel's retaliation in Gaza.

China has thus far avoided explicitly condemning Hamas and, in July, hosted Hamas and its rival Fatah for unity talks in Beijing. State broadcaster CGTN on Oct 6 aired a 30-minute documentary titled Surviving: Orphans Of Gaza, focusing on the plight of Palestinians living there.

Dr Gedaliah Afterman of Reichman University in Israel said that China's recent mention of Israel's "reasonable security concerns" is notable, signalling a subtle yet significant shift in Beijing's usual pro-Palestinian stance.