Sino-Israeli relations
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  |
|
 |
|
| Israel | People's Republic of China |
Bilateral relations between the State of Israel and the People's Republic of China were formally established in 1992, although secretive cooperation and links had existed since the 1980s. Since then, both nations have developed close and extensive cooperation in trade, military and strategic fields.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Ties between the People's Republic of China and Israel were virtually none-existent owing to China's support for the nations of the Muslim world who opposed the creation of Israel and the partition of Palestine in 1948; it chose to recognize the State of Palestine as proclaimed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Until the 1980s, China refused to grant visas to Israelis unless they held dual citizenship and carried a passport of a country other than Israel.[1]
China and Israel secretly began building ties, especially military cooperation in the 1980s.[1] In the 1980s, China and Israel began exchanging visits of delegations of academicians, experts and businessmen and industrialists.[1] China eased travel restrictions while Israel reopened its consulate in Hong Kong (then under U.K. administration), which would serve as the main point for diplomatic and economic contacts between the two nations.[1] In the early 1990s, China joined a number of nations who established ties with Israel after the initiation of a peace process between Israel and the PLO in the early 1990s; it also desired to play a role in the peace process.
[edit] Development of bilateral relations
In November 1991, the then-Defense Minister of Israel Moshe Arens was reported to have paid a secret visit to China and believed to have negotiated the establishment of ties and expansion of military cooperation. On January 23, 1992 the then-Foreign Minister of Israel David Levy paid a four-day visit to Beijing, preceeding the formal establishment of ties. Both nations had maintained some trade lnks, which stood at USD 30 million in 1992. Since then, the annual growth in trade has averaged 40%.[2] Bilateral trade rose to USD 3 billion in 2005 and is projected to rise to USD 5 billion by 2008 and USD 10 billion by 2010.[2][3] China is Israel's largest Asian trading partner[2] and has sought Israel's expertise in solar energy, manufacturing robotics, irrigation, construction, agricultural and water management and desalination technologies to combat drought and water shortages.[1][4] In turn, Israel has imported high-tech products and manufactured goods from China. In 2007, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made a high-profile visit to China to bolster trade and military cooperation and seek China's support over the conflict over Iran's nuclear proliferation.[3]
[edit] Military cooperation
Israel and China began extensive military cooperation as early as the 1980s, even though no formal diplomatic relations existed.[5][6][7][8] Some estimate that Israel sold arms worth USD 4 billion to China in this period.[7][5] China has looked to Israel for the arms and technology it wants but cannot acquire from both the United States and Russia. Israel has now become China's second-largest supplier of arms (following Russia).[5] China has purchased a wide array of military equipment and technology, including communications satellites.[5] The building of military cooperation and trade has softened China's historic anti-Israeli policy over Palestine and Middle East issues.[5] China has become a vital market for Israel's extensive military industries and arms manufacturers.[5] Israel has also limited its cooperation with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in order to foster closer ties with the People's Republic of China.[5]
[edit] Controversies
Israel's increasing defense cooperation with China has caused concern in the United States, which is the largest provider of military equipment to Israel. Owing to strategic rivalry and concerns over the security of Taiwan, the U.S. has pressured Israel against selling sophisticated U.S.-made equipment and technology to China.[8] Israel's cancelled the sale to China of the Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) in 2000 in wake of pressure from the U.S., which threatened to cut off USD 2.8 billion in yearly aid if the deal went through.[9] Israel's decision drew condemnation from China, which stated that the cancellation would hurt bilateral ties.[9][6] U.S. intelligence also suspects that the U.S.'s exports to Israel of the Patriot missiles and Lavi jet aircraft technology has been shared with China.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Israel and China quietly form trade bonds. New York Times (1985-07-22). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b c China No 1 in Israeli Asian Trade. China Daily (2000-11-09). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b Scandals follow Olmert to China. Jerusalem Post (2007-01-10). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ Israel-China "water-trade" to rise significantly. Jerusalem Post (2000-11-01). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g U.S. up in arms over Sino-Israeli ties. Asia Times (2004-12-21). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b c Return of the Red Card: Israel-China-U.S. Triangle. Power and Interest News Report (2005-05-23). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b Israel and China quietly form trade bonds (pg. 2). New York Times (1985-07-22). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b China's weapon chase. BBC News (2000-07-12). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b Israel scraps China radar deal. BBC News (2000-07-12). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
|
||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
