What to make of China's softening rhetoric on Israel, Gaza war
China appears to be softening its criticisms of Israel's conduct in the Israel-Hamas war and the conflict in Lebanon. Why the change of tune?
"You heard it right. I did say just now that the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people should be realized, and Israel's reasonable security concerns should also be taken seriously," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said on Oct. 8.
Had the Chinese official delivered this statement a year ago, it might have been brushed aside as routine diplomatic parlance — a tactic to project a semblance of balance, something expected from a responsible great power.
However her statement carried unexpected resonance; it's a striking departure from the anti-Israel rhetoric that has characterized Beijing's discourse since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack brought about this brutal war. Last week and following the death of Hamas' leader Yahya Sinwar, China refrained from condemning Israel in stark contrast to its strong condemnation of Ismail Haniyeh killing last July. Why the sudden change?
Too far
