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Will China Abandon the Palestinians?

(Al Jazeera) Ramzy Baroud and Romana Rubeo - China's Vice President Wang Qishan arrived in Israel on Monday for a four-day visit to head the fourth China-Israel Innovation Committee. Chinese investments in Israel grew from $50 million in the early 1990s to $16.5 billion in 2016. China's total trade with Arab countries is estimated at $171 billion. However, the nature of the exchange is different. China is a main client for Israel's IT industry, while its trade with Arab countries is mostly focused on selling cheaper consumer goods and military hardware. For years, China has called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. However, Beijing's position seems of little consequence to its relationship with Israel, as joint technological ventures, trade and investments continue to grow unhindered. China finds itself under no particular obligation to side with a well-defined Arab position on Palestine, simply because the latter doesn't exist. The political division of Arab countries, the wars in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere have pushed Palestine down from being a top Arab priority. This painful reality has weakened Palestine's position in China, which, at least for now, values its relationship with Israel at a much higher level.
2018-10-24 00:00:00
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