Being that China seems to always be at odds with their neighbors, particularly when it comes to territory disputes, it is a strange thing when you hear about them trying their hands at creating peace in the world. In their latest attempt to come across as good peace-keepers, the government of China has stepped into the middle of the Israel-Palestine conflict. And though the end result may prove to be far less than one could hope, it does have the definitive effect of the country announcing itself as a player in the Middle East.
This last week, Beijing has played host to both the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as well as the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. The suggestions for conflict resolution that were presented were not exactly original and only mirrored what they’ve been saying about the conflict publically for some time. But by meeting with the parties involved, China has placed a foot in the Middle East, a land that may provide them with many allies.
In the ongoing conflict of East vs. West, China hopes to gain more support against the U.S.-led coalition. The Middle East is one place where the US isn't that popular, barring perhaps Israel and a few other states. China could see this as the perfect opportunity to increase their base of allies and trade partners. They already have good trade relations with Israel, despite their official stance of approval on Palestinian statehood. If they could somehow take steps to end the conflict between these two countries, it would go a long way toward building them some political clout.
Of course, more allies doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be able to counteract the bad press they already have. They’ve been resisting intervention in Syria, which is an unpopular stance right now, as well as causing problems with India on their shared border. They’ve even recently taken to allowing their media to challenge Japan’s claim on Okinawa, a move that is sure to piss Japan off to no end.
While helping to promote peace in the Middle East is admirable, even if it is for purely political reasons, without proof of their devotion to peace in their own affairs they’re not likely to gain the loyalty of any of their immediate neighbors. It will take a much more far-reaching approach before China is trusted by the world as more than an overly aggressive, rising super power.
Beijing photo courtesy of 39degN via Wikicommons
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