“China has no selfish interests on the question of Palestine,” said Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, amid testy exchanges with his Israeli counterpart, Gilad Erdan, last month.
“Any initiative that contributes to peace will receive China’s staunch support. Any endeavour that facilitates Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation will be pursued by China with all-out efforts,” Mr Zhang added.
In the wake of the October 7 massacres, Beijing has tried to project neutrality by emphasising, among other things, how “equal attention should be paid to the security concerns and legitimate rights of both Israel and Palestine” as well as condemning “violence and attacks against civilians”.
But with the US opposing UN resolutions calling for a humanitarian pause in Gaza, China has increasingly taken up the cudgels for the Palestinian cause. Throughout the past month, top officials have repeatedly emphasised the importance of looking at the root causes of the ongoing conflict as well as the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Confronting a new Cold War with the US, China is now taking the fight to the West by presenting itself as not only a potential peace broker in the Middle East, where anti-American sentiments appear to be on the rise, but also a champion for Muslim-majority countries. This subtle but significant shift in Beijing’s foreign policy reflects a more fundamental transformation in the global balance of power.
While China is emerging as a full-fledged global player, now intent on playing a more active role in several regions, a number of Muslim-majority countries are now pivotal players in the international system. The upshot is an emerging alliance between China and the Muslim world, with the Palestinian cause serving as a major rallying point.
Mao Zedong, China’s most influential leader in modern times, once famously said: “Where the enemy advances, we retreat. Where the enemy retreats, we pursue.” Mao’s dictum perfectly captures Beijing’s strategic calculus in recent years amid its competition with the US.
The supposed Chinese-Islamic 'civilisational alliance' seems to be congealing into a potent geopolitical force
Only a decade ago, China largely took a defensive position when the Obama administration launched its much-vaunted “Pivot to Asia” policy to contain the rise of a new challenger in one of the world’s most dynamic regions. The Trump administration further intensified this policy by launching trade wars against Beijing.
The Biden administration has steadily expanded military co-operation with a network of regional partners and allies – including Australia, India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam – under an “integrated deterrence” strategy to constrain China. This strategic offensive was coupled with expanded sanctions on its tech sector and national champions.
As if that weren’t enough, Beijing also faced growing sanctions over its internal policies, as western nations and various human rights organisations accused it of oppressing religious minority groups.
By all indications, China is now taking the fight to the West.
First, it stepped up its charm offensive around the world by launching its trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to enhance infrastructure connectivity across several continents.
It also sought to enhance its soft power by mediating major conflicts. In March, it defied all expectations by brokering a game-changing detente between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Given China’s heavy dependence on energy imports from the region, it has a great incentive to facilitate stability and enhance its soft power in the Mena region.
It’s no wonder, then, that the majority of newly admitted members to the Brics grouping are from the region, including Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia, was also reportedly among those invited to join an expanded Brics.
Crucially, China has also waded into the most contentious conflict in the region, if not in the world. In June, President Xi Jinping hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing, where they signed a strategic partnership. Its pivot to the region couldn’t be timelier.
The US is increasingly unpopular in the Middle East. A Pew Research Centre survey in 2020 showed that Washington suffers from a 73 per cent disapproval rating in Turkey, a fellow Nato member-state, followed by Lebanon (53 per cent) and Tunisia (44 per cent).
With the US firmly standing by Israel in the latest conflict in the Middle East, anti-western sentiments are likely to intensify across the region.
This has provided a key opening for China to present itself as an ostensibly constructive player, thanks to its robust relations with all the major powers in the Middle East as well as its more historically balanced position on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
More from Richard Javad Heydarian
During a recent phone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made it clear that “China believes that the historical injustices against Palestine have lasted for more than half a century and cannot go on”.
Meanwhile, Beijing’s top envoy on the Middle East, Zhai Jun, promised proactive diplomacy by underscoring how China will “further strengthen co-ordination with all parties in the direction of a ceasefire, the protection of civilians, de-escalation and the promotion of peace talks”.
There appears to be genuine affinity between China and several Islamic countries, in part due to their shared experience of western colonialism.
The late Chinese premier Zhou Enlai was a pivotal figure during the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement in the mid-20th century, when post-colonial nations sought to create an alternative sphere outside both the western and Soviet circles of influence.
After the end of the Cold War, the political scientist Samuel Huntington identified both the Islamic and Chinese civilisations as the ultimate bastions of resistance to western hegemony in the 21st century. That supposed “civilisational alliance” now seems to be congealing into a potent geopolitical force.
Amid the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, there seems to be popular support in China for a more sympathetic position towards Palestinians.
It’s quite telling that even Israel and the US have recognised China’s importance as a potential peacemaker, particularly as Beijing has positioned itself as a champion of the Global South – at a time when Washington is facing growing criticism for its ostensible double-standards on humanitarian crises outside the West.
Far from being contained in its backyard by the West, China is now extending its influence around the world.
It remains to be seen, however, if it can succeed where its western predecessors failed.
Beijing’s yet-to-be-proven ability to nudge the protagonists towards a desperately needed ceasefire in Gaza will serve as a crucial acid test of its emerging role in the Mena region.
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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INFO
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
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