January 24 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of official relations between Israel and the People's Republic of China. It was preceded by unsuccessful attempts by Israel in the early years after it established contact with the regime of Mao Zedong, who seized power in China in 1949. In 1992, after the disintegration of the Soviet empire and after most Arab countries improved their relations with Israel and agreed to participate in the Madrid Conference, China agreed to recognize Israel and establish official relations.

Mutual curiosity and desire to know the other side and derive benefit from its advantages characterized the early years. China sought to exploit Israeli knowledge and experience in security and agriculture, and cooperation in these areas led to the establishment of embassies. The opportunity to enter a supermarket of a billion people fascinated Israel. I was on the team that managed the negotiations for the first trade agreement between the two countries. We finished it in three days. Negotiations on a free trade agreement between the two countries continued for years, and may end this year.

The Falcon issue - the surveillance plane that China bought from Israel - has cooled relations. Under pressure and threats from the United States, Israel was forced to cancel the deal and pay compensation to China, thus closing the Chinese market to Israel's security industry. Moreover, Beijing, which saw Israel as a bridge to the centers of political influence in Washington, discovered the limitations of Jewish-Israeli influence.

China's breakthrough to the forefront of the global economy and its leader Xi Jinping's aspiration to reach economic, technological and military parity with the United States, its strategic rival until the middle of the 21st century - raised Israel's value in China's eyes because of its modernizing power. On the other hand, Israel, a state of novelty, looked for external sources of funding, and China, with the world's largest currency holdings and an impressive number of "multibillionaires," became a sought-after target. The crown jewel of Israel-China relations was the pre-coronavirus modernization conference in Jerusalem, chaired by China's vice president and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Chinese, who are keen to define their relations with the countries of the world, upgraded their relations with Israel to a "comprehensive modernization partnership." In parallel, major Chinese infrastructure companies discovered that Israel is in the process of rapidly renewing and expanding its infrastructure, and began winning bids for ports, roads, and trains. The expansion of economic ties has led to a significant increase in the number of flights between Israel and Chinese cities.

The expansion of relations between Israel and China has slowed down in recent years due to the intensification of the conflict between China and the United States, which occurred during President Obama's tenure. In recent years, the U.S. administration has begun to exercise sanctions against China, but putting pressure on its partners has been a tough filter for economic engagements with China. The Sino-US competition will not abate in the coming years, and Israel will have to calculate its steps carefully in managing complex relations with China. Difficulties may arise in the political sphere as well. China has steadfastly supported anti-Israel bills in international organizations and supports Palestinian demands, but it has not taken practical steps in the bilateral relations system to express its criticism of Israel. Israel, for its part, has abstained from voting in international forums on resolutions expressing criticism of China.

The rapprochement between China and Iran, the Chinese effort to strengthen ties with the Gulf and other Arab countries, and U.S. pressure to be critical of China's economic power all call for prudent management of risks and opportunities in the second post-relationship generation.

(Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi)