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The diplomatic and economic relations between China and Israel have grown significantly in recent years, and the two parties have sought to invest them in a way that allows them to exchange the common interests resulting from these relations.
This report monitors the features and prospects of these relationships, based on a study recently published by the Rand Corporation, one of the most prominent American and international think tanks.
History of the relationship
Before the Republic of China, China was the first Asian country to recognize the establishment of Israel in 1948, but that was before the victory of the Communist Party of China in the Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949.
After the establishment of the Republic of China, Israel tried to approach the new country and return its favor to it, as it was the first government in the Middle East to recognize the People's Republic of China, but China refused to reciprocate the recognition, and Mao Zedong provided a letter of thanks for that.
The relationship was strained during the 1950s and 1960s due to Israel's supportive stance of the West in the Korean War in 1951, and because of China's relations with both Egypt and Syria during the 1967 Israeli aggression.
- But in the year 1979, the contact between them returned, and this was influenced by two main factors, namely the occupation of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the start of the Egyptian-Israeli peace process.
The relationship developed gradually with the meetings of diplomats of the two parties at the United Nations, then in a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the occupation, Shimon Peres, and his counterpart, Wu Jujian, in 1987.
This contributed to the influx of Israeli tourist delegations to China in 1988, the same year that China recognized the state of Palestine.
After that, the official relations between the two parties were announced in 1992.
Form of relationships
Observers believe that the transfer of military technology from Israel to China was the basis of these relations, which saw dozens of deals in this area, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to China in 2013 issued a government order to expand relations in all aspects that are not sensitive.
The relationship between China and Israel has grown significantly in recent years.
Israel seeks to benefit from the diversification and expansion of its political and economic relations with China.
As for China, it seeks to benefit from Israeli technology.
The Israeli side does not want these relations to cause damage to its strategic relationship with the United States, whose red lines are the main determinant of these relations.
- China wants active relations, but in the "shadow" that does not reflect negatively on its Arab and Islamic relations, as the huge market for its foreign trade also maintains its traditional position in support of the Palestine issue.
China's motives for establishing relations with Israel
- Developing the Chinese high-tech industrial system.
Developing military and security capabilities and keeping pace with Western systems.
- Economic expansion under the title Belt and Road Initiative.
Access to Jewish capital across the world.
Improve China's image in the Western media.
China sees Israel as an important political player in the Middle East.
Israeli motives for establishing relations with China
To gain China's political support as a permanent member of the Security Council.
Achieving economic and commercial expansion in a huge and early market like the Chinese market.
To be close to the dominant forces in the world, especially as it sees the Chinese missile rise.
Implications for growing relationships
This cooperation is an area in which Israeli interests may differ from those of the United States.
China’s political positions and goals can conflict with Israeli interests, and the two sides may find themselves on opposite sides in international forums such as the United Nations.
A real threat to Israeli technology security and the prospects for its economy, such as China's dealings with intellectual rights, the acquisition of major Israeli companies, and China's ability to penetrate the Israeli market.
Chinese companies to build and operate Israeli facilities may enable China to spy on the ground and in the digital world.
American sensitivity to these relationships
Undermining the US strategy to weaken China by enabling Israel, China, to build a high-tech industry in cooperation with Israeli scientists and companies.
Smuggling the American military secrets that the US-Israel partnership contracts offer to the Chinese.
Enabling the Chinese, through infrastructure contracts in Israel, to reach sensitive places such as the Haifa Port, which is used by American forces, which poses a threat to them.
Possible scenarios
The first: The growing economic and political relations as a result of the continuing Chinese global economic rise, the decline of the American role in the region, and the continued state of weakness and crises among Arab regimes.
The second: The stability of relations at the current level because of the Americans' development of more controls and red lines that prevent the growth of relations, with increasing internal desires among active Israeli sectors to control the level of relations in order to prevent the Chinese "transformation".
The third: the gradual decline and cooling of these relations as a result of the escalation of US-Chinese rivalry and rivalry, and the increase of American pressure on Israel to reduce the level of relations and find other alternatives.