中文
By Sudeshna Sarkar
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's state visit to China from June 13 to 16, six years after the last one, is another indication of the changing equation in the Middle East.
Amid reports that Abbas was looking at other countries to push the stalled peace process forward, he visited China in 2013 and 2017, and as recently as last December, he held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the First China-Arab States Summit in Riyadh.
The growing engagement with China comes as Beijing's efficacy as a mediator in the Middle East is gaining recognition after its success in persuading historical adversaries Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations after a seven-year hiatus. Syria's return to the Arab League this year after a 12-year suspension is also regarded as due to mediation by China, which continues to develop friendly ties with all Middle Eastern nations.
Recognition from the international community came last month when Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, visited Beijing to discuss how to end Yemen's near-decade of conflict and humanitarian crisis. Grundberg acknowledged that China, "as one of the world's great powers, as a permanent member of the Security Council," can use its leverage to support the peace efforts in Yemen.
The U.S. has had a long involvement, starting from at least 1946 when an investigation by a joint Anglo-American Committee suggested that 100,000 victims of "Nazi and Fascist" persecution be given new homes in Palestine and that "Palestine shall be neither a Jewish state nor an Arab state." Given the long role but little result, it is not unreasonable for others to try to address the festering crisis.
Meanwhile, Beijing's diplomacy has gained sophistication. It's interesting to see how its Israel-Palestine peace roadmap has been streamlined, making it more pragmatic and neutral. Xi's three-point peace proposal made during his meeting with Abbas says the "fundamental solution" is establishing an "independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty" on the basis of the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Second, Palestine's economic and livelihood needs should be met, and the international community should step up development assistance and humanitarian aid.
Third, the historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem should be respected, and provocative rhetoric and action should be avoided. An authoritative international peace conference should be convened to create conditions for the resumption of peace talks.
This pares down the four-point proposal Xi made in 2017, which included a tripartite dialogue mechanism among China, Palestine and Israel to promote major projects in aid of Palestine.
Less is always more. However, Palestine is certainly aware of the benefits Chinese investment and cooperation, especially in technology, could bring it. Abbas's entourage is reported to include Mohammed Mustafa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund, which indicates an economic agenda as well.
Besides, China and Palestine have great potential to cooperate under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which would bring conflicting nations together via economic cooperation. With the success of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the BRI's flagship project in Pakistan, as well as the rapid expansion of the BRI in 10 years, there is greater outside interest in the initiative for the boost it provides to infrastructure, cross-border transport, trade and digitalization. Infrastructure development in Palestine is a must to address many of the problems caused by the protracted conflict with Israel.
Sudeshna Sarkar, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a journalist and editor who has covered China as well as the Middle East.
