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China's Middle East Policy: Speak Softly and Wave a Large Purse
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Ehud Yaari - From intensive discussions with senior Chinese military, diplomatic, and academic officials, I learned that the Middle East is low on the list of China's global priorities and this is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Even so, Chinese corporations - with full backing from Beijing - are investing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, acquisitions, and other initiatives in most countries of the Middle East. Beijing is comfortable with its current policy of avoiding political involvement in the region's myriad disputes. China will continue to import Iranian oil, trying to bypass U.S. sanctions without directly challenging or dismissing them. Yet Beijing does not plan to rescue the Iranian regime from its financial distress or supply it with significant arms. Beijing shows no intention of revising its unfavorable voting pattern toward Israel in international forums. The Chinese do not believe that developing economic ties with Israel requires them to change their foreign policy. At the same time, Chinese investments in Egypt are growing rapidly, including infrastructure for the new capital city to be established outside Cairo. Chinese officials made clear that they will not undertake any economic projects in the Palestinian Authority or inside Gaza. The writer, a veteran commentator for Israeli television, is an international fellow at The Washington Institute.