Saturday, May 24, 2014

The uncertain future of China-Israel relations

Al-Arabiya - Friday, 4 April 2014

By Naser al-Tamimi

In a recent interview on Bloomberg TV, the Israeli President Shimon Peres stated: “The future is galloping like a horse, and if you don’t gallop with the horse, the horse will gallop without you.” His interesting words may apply to the tireless Israeli efforts in recent years to “gallop” with the Chinese horse. This Israeli “galloping” comes at a time when China is seeking to enhance the security of its energy imports from the Middle East by increasing its political and economic involvement in the region.
One of the striking issues that characterizes Beijing’s relations with the region is that it has good relations with all parties. China’s ties with Iran, Turkey, and the Arab world are growing rapidly. Today, China is the largest exporter to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s top trade partner in West Asia, the biggest importer of Iranian oil, the major player in the Iraqi oil game and a rising star in the Turkish economy. At the same time, China has been the top market for Israeli exports in Asia.

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