China Breaks Silence on Hamas Massacre, Opens Door to Strategic Partnership with Israel
Discourse Power | May 14, 2025
Greetings from Jerusalem,
On May 10, 2025, in a rare display of dugri דוגרי - Israeli straight talk, or 直截了当 in Chinese - PRC Ambassador to Israel Dr. Xiao Junzheng made his first TV appearance since arriving in Israel six months ago.
The 45-minute prerecorded interview with Maayan Hoffman for ILTV touched on everything from Hamas to Iran, tariffs to Taiwan, and managed to avoid the usual diplomatic fog.
Top headlines:
The ambassador finally issued China’s unambiguous, on-the-record condemnation of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. 581 days later. The ambassador even wore the yellow ribbon for the 58 hostages still held in Gaza - also a first, as far as I remember.
Amb. Xiao said China is open to upgrading the Innovative Comprehensive Partnership with Israel to the strategic level.
“China firmly opposes Iran acquiring nuclear weapons,” Xiao says, while arguing regional integration is a better option and “will ultimately benefit Israel”. He dismisses notions about the China–Russia–Iran axis as “absurd”.
Backs Xi’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) as a path to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Denies Chinese military exports to Iran, while evading questions on hard evidence of dual-use components aiding IRGC and Iran-backed terror groups.
Subtle warning amid US pressure on Israel: “Anyone who bets on China losing will lose the enormous market opportunities China offers.”
With printed talking points on his desk, Amb. Xiao closely followed Beijing’s official line, but that’s precisely what makes his words significant: they reflect policy, not personal opinion (or at least the policies they want Israelis to hear).
He deserves praise for delivering them with hints of empathy, humor, and undeniable MENA savvy. After more than a year of open hostility, this interview unquestionably represents a pragmatic reset and the clear mandate the new ambassador was given to turn the page on Israel-China relations.
Thank you for reading,
Tuvia
The Interview (full transcript below):
The transcript is lightly edited for clarity, otherwise verbatim with timestamps. Emphases added in bold; [my commentary appears throughout in brackets].
[00:00] HOST
I have with me today Ambassador Dr. Xiao Junzheng, the Chinese ambassador to Israel. He arrived in December last year, and this is his first TV interview. I’m Mayaan Hoffman, executive editor of ILTV. Welcome, Mr. Ambassador.
[00:22] AMB. XIAO
It’s my great honor to be here.
[00:30] HOST – China’s reaction to October 7
How did the Chinese people view the October 7 attack? I understand that your country has refused to condemn the Hamas massacre.
[00:45] AMB. XIAO
Soon after the barbarous attack by Hamas on 7 October, China clearly stated its opposition to acts that harm civilians and condemned violations of international law. [What violations occurred, and by whom? That was never said. China had no problem issuing dozens of direct condemnations in name against Israel to anyone who would listen, but it never openly condemned Hamas until the following sentence by Xiao. In fact, in February 2024, the Foreign Ministry’s legal advisor, Ma Xinmin, whitewashed Hamas terrorism for 30 minutes at the ICJ].
The atrocities committed by Hamas are inhumane, unforgivable, and outrageous. China opposes and condemns what Hamas did on the 7th of October - this is very clear. [This statement marks the first on-the-record, direct condemnation by a Chinese official of Hamas’s October 7 massacre]
[01:40] AMB. XIAO – Two-state solution
At the same time, the international community is reflecting on why peace between Israel and the Palestinians has been repeatedly shattered. China’s position is clear and consistent: we believe the two-state solution is the only viable way to break the cycle of violence between the two sides, and we sincerely hope that the Israelis and Palestinians will coexist in peace, and that the Jewish people and Arab people will live in harmony.
[02:13] HOST – Hamas as a partner?
Now, while you say that, though, and condemn the act of Hamas on October 7th, Hamas is a terrorist organization and not a partner for peace with the Israeli people. However, the Palestinian people themselves may be. So, how do you differentiate? How do you call for a Palestinian state with the people who perpetrated such an attack on October 7th?
[02:45] AMB. XIAO
The Palestinian issue dates back 80-100 years and is one of the most complicated international hotspots, not only in this region but also in the world. I just want to mention that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) calls for the settling of disputes and wars among different countries through political dialogue and diplomatic means. As the Chinese ambassador in Israel, I sincerely hope Israeli think-tanks and scholars could attach importance to it; maybe some of the views or perceptions of this initiative will be helpful for our Israeli friends to find the right way or solution to this conflict.
[Deposed Foreign Minister Qin Gang swiftly offered the Global Security Initiative (GSI) to his Israeli counterpart in April 2023, shortly after China brokered the détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Today, however, both Qin’s name and the GSI have largely faded from view. Seriously, though, here are two articles I wrote about the GSI for the INSS and the Atlantic Council (the latter co-written with Prof.
and Michael Schuman).][04:01] HOST – Iran’s role in the war
Iran has been behind a lot of this war. Iran funds terror proxies like Hamas, but also the Houthis and Hezbollah, which threaten the state of Israel. China has called Iran a strategic partner. How can you justify a partnership with a country like Iran, which puts the Israeli civilians, as you mentioned, at such great risk?
[04:19] AMB. XIAO
Iran is one of the world’s major oil suppliers, with a population of nearly 100 million people, and it's also a strategically important country in this region. Even the US is in negotiations with Iran, which shows an appetite for Iran's market [the talks are primarily focused on non-proliferation and regional security]. China and Iran are Comprehensive Strategic Partners, however, that is just normal state-to-state relations in line with international law and the UN Charter.
China uses the term strategic to demonstrate the importance it attaches to relations with other countries. In the Middle East alone, China has 17 Strategic Partners. Besides Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Algeria, and even Bahrain are also China’s Comprehensive Strategic Partners. China-Israel ties [were upgraded] to an “innovative comprehensive partnership” in 2017, so we also attach great importance to this relationship. If it is the will of the Israeli public to make the China-Israel relationship a strategic one, we are willing to make positive consideration.
[06:42] HOST – Iran’s nuclear breakout
There is a question, I think, when we talk about a strategic partnership with the UAE or with Egypt versus a country like Iran, where most of the world has been talking about sanctioning Iran as it rushes towards a nuclear program that could upset the stability in the Middle East. What is China's policy and position on the Iranian nuclear issue?
[07:21] AMB. XIAO
China opposes Iran having or developing nuclear bombs - this is a very clear position.
HOST interjects
But when you send money [by buying most of their oil] and work strategically with Iran, doesn't that give them the funds to be able to develop those weapons?
AMB. XIAO
This is a very clear position of the Chinese government. Of course, on the other hand, as a member of the international community, it is the Iranians' right to have peaceful use of nuclear energy. We [China] are members of the Nonproliferation [Treaty], so we are against Iranians having or developing nuclear bombs.
At the same time, China is of the view that isolating Iran will only exacerbate its sense of insecurity, leading it to wrong decisions and more unpredictable behavior. [Conversely], pushing Iran to integrate into the region will [encourage] Iran to act more rationally [and] responsibly, which is Israel’s interest.
China facilitated the Saudi–Iran reconciliation in 2023; this helped Iran’s integration into the region and will ultimately benefit Israel.
[09:09] HOST – China-Russia-Iran axis?
How do you see the alleged Chinese-Russian-Iran alliance that people are talking about? What is China's position on that alliance?
[09:46] AMB. XIAO
Non-alignment is one of the basic principles of Chinese diplomacy that is written into the constitution of China. Speculation about a China–Russia–Iran alliance posing a threat to Israeli security is clearly absurd. China has consistently opposed Iran developing and owning nuclear weapons, and has always supported Israel's right to subsistence and development. In our view, the only right choice for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue is through political and diplomatic means.
HOST
Do you feel good about the negotiations going on between the US and Iran?
AMB. XIAO
We think so. At the same time, as the party that unilaterally withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and caused the current situation, the US needs to show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialogue and consultation, and stop the threat of using force and maximum pressure.
[10:54] HOST – Arms sales to Iran
[Does China] sell Iran advanced military weapons?
[10:54] AMB. XIAO
No, I don’t think so. China resolutely opposed the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and has continuously strengthened its nonproliferation enforcement capacity.
We firmly oppose the unilateral practice and double standards in the nonproliferation domain; [China] rejects the use of nonproliferation as a pretext to impose illegal unilateral sanctions on China, which undermines and disrupts normal international trade.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China maintains a prudent and responsible approach to the export of military items in accordance with our domestic policies, laws, and international obligations. China implements strict and effective controls over all exports of military items.
[12:18] HOST
So, if you would discover - and I think that we have - that Iran would use those weapons either against Israel or against Ukraine, or sell them through to Russia to use against Ukraine, would you then sanction Iran? Would there be any consequences for that action?
AMB. XIAO
China formally opposes all indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians and unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council. Sanctions never fundamentally or effectively solve problems. The best way to prevent civilian casualties is not sanctions but to push for de-escalation of tension and return to the track of political dialogue and diplomatic solutions as soon as possible.
HOST
Isn't that already after the fact a little bit though? If there have [already] been acts that were committed, and you choose not to sanction or take any action against that player, [what] would stop them from doing it again?
[13:30] AMB. XIAO
If sanctions are also raised through a resolution of the UN Security Council [which is less likely today, unlike a decade ago, due to Russian and PRC veto], as a [permanent] member of the Security Council, we will definitely obey and implement them. This is a diplomatic practice for China, and it happened several times before [when China supported sanctions against Iran].
[13:58] HOST – Xi in Moscow and Chinese-Jewish historic ties
I mentioned Ukraine, where there has been a very long and ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. You called the so-called alliance between Iran, Russia, and China absurd, and China has said that it is not taking sides. Nonetheless, I understand that your president will be visiting Putin for a celebration of the Russian military victory. So, how can you consider yourselves neutral when the two presidents are meeting to celebrate a victory of Russia? [Sorry to interject again, but what a silly question.]
[14:28] AMB. XIAO
Yes, President Xi Jinping will attend the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, which commemorates the victory in the world war against the fascists. Both the Chinese and Jewish people are victims of fascism. It is necessary to remember history.
We are planning to hold commemoration events in Israel this year to review the history of the Chinese and the Jewish people standing together through thick and thin during WWII, and the story of Jewish fighter Jacob Rosenfeld 罗生特, who supported the Chinese people during the war [it’d be nice if China stood by the Jewish people today as well.]
HOST
And is it true that a lot of Jews escaped to China? Do I remember correctly that there were Jews who were potentially even saved in China that [fled] from the Holocaust?
AMB. XIAO
You are right. I will mention it later [since the questions/topics were vetted by the embassy before the interview].
[15:42] HOST – On Chinese “neutrality” re Ukraine and Iran
[China has been] very [adamant] about not wanting any foreign influence on things that are going on in China, but isn't China interfering in policies when it provides an [economic] lifeline [to Iran and Russia]? Russia is under international sanctions due to its ongoing war with Ukraine, and China continues to do business as usual. Isn't that in some ways a move away from neutrality?
[16:20] AMB. XIAO
Only 45 of 193 UN member states participated in the sanctions against Russia, which were not authorized by the UNSC [the same UNSC where Russia holds a permanent seat and veto power]. So this small group of countries is in no position to represent the international community. Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war or crisis, China provided no [lethal] weapons to either side and has exercised strict control over dual-use items [this statement was factually wrong for China and Iran, and it is doubly so here].
HOST
You've refrained from selling to Ukraine and Russia?
AMB. XIAO
Ukraine knows this clearly and has publicly stated that weapons and spare parts exported to Russia are mainly from the US and Western countries [fact check: Ukraine has indeed raised alarms about the infiltration of Western-made components into Russian weaponry, yet hasn’t claimed that the US and Western countries are the main exporters of weapons and spare parts to Russia. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, an adviser to Ukraine's president, stated that approximately 60% of foreign-made parts found in Russian weapons originate from China. “The PRC (China) is the biggest problem, I would say,” he was quoted in September. Last month, President Zelenskyy openly accused China of supplying weapons to Russia.
China sells neither weapons nor ammunition to either side of this conflict or crisis. The China-Russia relationship is based on non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of any third party.
We are entitled to normal economic and trade cooperation, which shall not be interfered with or restricted by any third party. China will continue its normal economic and trade cooperation based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.
[18:18] HOST
So let me ask you: It seems what’s driving China is economics, because in each instance, what I'm hearing is we compartmentalize. “We,” [speaking as China] “say we won’t give weapons to either party. We’ll stay neutral. We don’t want you to develop a nuclear weapon, Iran, but if you do, we’re not involved. We'll continue relations regardless of your actions - your funding of Houthi, Hezbollah, etc. We'll have economic ties.” Am I hearing that correctly - that it's an economic decision versus an ethical one?
[19:02] AMB. XIAO
This is the basic rule for Chinese diplomacy. If the UNSC passes a resolution regarding a conflict or war anywhere in the world, as a member of the United Nations, we will clearly and definitely obey it. We will implement what the resolution requires. But at the same time, there are many disputes, crises, or even conflicts and wars in this world. Even the Secretary-General of the UN himself cannot judge who is right, who is not right, who is legal, and who is not legal. There are many quarrels.
[20:17] HOST – UN bias toward Israel?
Do you feel the UN Security Council is unbiased? You continue to say you will follow the UN Security Council, which is fine and good. I'm just curious - from Israel's perspective, it's been very biased. There have been many more condemnations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, certainly against Israel. No condemnation in general of Hamas’s ongoing use of human shields, hospitals, etc., during this conflict, in which both sides are fighting. I'm not denying that. But it's been very one-sided. So, in aligning with the UN Security Council, are you in some ways aligning against Israel?
[20:17] AMB. XIAO
Yeah, it's really hard for me to give an answer on specific cases, but generally speaking, there is a common perception in the international community when we talk about wars or conflicts.
First, humanitarian concerns are an important element. Secondly, justice is another important element that should be taken into consideration. Thirdly, we must ask whether it is in the interests of a specific country or small group, or in the interests of the majority of the international community.
I could give a fourth or fifth element for us to judge which side is correct or aligned with the interests of the international community. So it's really difficult to say something about specific cases.
[22:31] HOST – US tariffs
Now I want to switch to the issue of tariffs. This is big news and is impacting most countries in the world. The US has levied at least a 10% tariff on all countries, plus a reciprocal tariff on 60 countries with the largest trade imbalance. What is China’s view on this?
[22:54] AMB. XIAO
It’s an important question for China. The reciprocal tariff levies, in our view, violate WTO rules, undermine the rules-based multilateral trading system, and disrupt the global economic order. This is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying. It will only lead to a lose-lose situation and harm economic and financial stability.
The IMF has lowered its forecast for global growth in 2025 to 2.8%. Many economists and financial investors, including Nobel Prize laureate Paul Krugman and former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, have pointed out that the imposition of extra tariffs by the US will backfire and result in a recession instead of bringing back manufacturing jobs.
America claims its trade deficit is caused by other countries abusing the United States, but it’s not the fault of other countries. It’s a result of America’s large budget deficit and low private savings. The saving rate in the US is very low, and most notably, the US federal government is running an enormous deficit, between 6% and 7% of GDP, amounting to $2 trillion per year.
[In March, China set its official fiscal deficit target for 2025 at “around 4%” of GDP. However, its actual fiscal situation is considerably more strained. Brian Hart et al. for ChinaPower estimate a near 10% deficit-to-GDP ratio driven by expanded local borrowing, off-budget spending (e.g., Local Government Financing Vehicles-LGFVs), and economic stimulus programs.]
The United States is blaming other countries for its economic policies. There is no excuse for these unilateral tariffs.
HOST
It does seem like the US is struggling: not producing enough jobs, not doing enough local manufacturing, and kind of blaming other countries, saying, “Oh, we’re going to punish all of you because we didn’t do well enough.” Is that what you're describing?
AMB. XIAO
Yes. I’d like to share another report that the Financial Times published in a survey two weeks ago. More than 80% of Americans believe it would be better for Americans to have more manufacturing, but only 20% of them prefer to work in manufacturing rather than their current jobs.
[26:30] HOST
Right. I think it's a struggle. We have a bit of that in Israel as well - certain professional jobs people take, but we don’t have enough less professional labor to handle certain things. For a long time, we relied on Palestinian workers, but we haven’t allowed them to enter the country for the last 18 months. Now we're trying to find workers from China, India, and other places willing to come and do those jobs. It's definitely a struggle. And like you said, America - on a much larger scale - is in a similar position. They want the jobs in-house, but there aren't necessarily people to fill the roles.
AMB. XIAO
You know, there’s a joke - an American once said, “I’d rather wear Nikes than make Nikes.” So, tariff wars benefit no one, not even the US. US stocks, debt, and currency have been impacted, and the risks of inflation and recession in the US economy have been exacerbated. This double-edged sword has caused more damage to the US than expected.
[28:01] HOST - Allegations of IP theft & forced labor
But there is some wrongdoing, I think, on China’s part. I don’t know if China would admit that. The US has accused China of manipulating global markets, stealing IP, and enabling forced labor to bring down prices. Is China ready in any capacity to admit wrongdoing in this regard?
AMB. XIAO
China’s development is not built on others’ favor or benevolence, but on pragmatic dedication. Disinformation cannot distort facts or conceal China’s great efforts. Since the end of the Cold War, economic globalization has developed rapidly and generated opportunities for less developed countries. However, it’s not like turning on a faucet and immediately having the water flow out.
Over the past four decades of reform and opening up, it was institutional design, long-term planning, and clear decisions that helped China seize the opportunity of globalization and realize its development step by step. China has built the most complete industrial system.
Now, the US complains that it has been taken advantage of by China and has been in an unfavorable position in global trade for 80 years, using this as an excuse to launch a tariff war. But such complaints are purely groundless.
HOST
Do you believe there will be negotiations over these tariffs with the United States? Will there be direct negotiations?
AMB. XIAO
The United States initiated the reciprocal tariffs. China’s countermeasures are based on solid reasoning; they aim to maintain China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as uphold international fairness, justice, and trade rules. It is precisely because China took resolute countermeasures that the US had to postpone the move.
HOST
Will [China] go and negotiate directly and try to fix this?
AMB. XIAO
When I was asked these questions, I reiterated: we will fight if fight we must. And the second sentence is, our doors are open if the US wants to talk.
HOST
So, you won’t approach the US, but you're open to the US approaching you for negotiations.
AMB XIAO
In other words, if you’ve studied any level of Chinese history, you’d see that over the last 5,000 years, arrogance, coercion, and bullying have never worked in China. In my view, if the United States sincerely wishes to resolve these issues, it must completely remove all unilateral tariffs on China imposed since April 2.
[31:54] HOST – Israel–China economic ties
Israel’s economy is also very tied to China’s. We were speaking earlier about how the top Israeli businesspeople are all doing business in China. In fact, it’s very common when I interview the most successful businesspeople in the country, one of the first places they look to open up in or collaborate with is your country.
At the same time, China has invested heavily in Israeli technology and innovation. There are many examples of us working together. Why do you think it has worked out for Israel and China to be such strategic economic partners, despite the challenges we see between America and China?
[32:15] AMB. XIAO
China and Israel have broad common interests across a wide range of fields, including trade and technology. Cooperation outweighs competition, and consensus outweighs differences. China has become Israel’s largest trading partner in Asia and its second-largest trading partner globally [third after the EU].
HOST
It’s only second to the US.
AMB. XIAO
Correct, as well as the largest source of imports.
The Haifa New Port [aka Haifa Gulf Port, aka Haifa Bay Port], which began operating in 2021 [under state-owned Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG)], is a landmark project of China-Israel practical cooperation. Thanks to advanced technology from China, the Haifa New Port has become Israel's most environmentally friendly and automated port. Meanwhile, it has introduced competition to the Israeli port market and improved the quality of Israeli port services [all true].
According to the World Bank ranking of container terminal services, the comprehensive ranking of the Haifa New Port has risen from 196 to 56. The excellent performance of the Haifa New Port is a powerful response to various doubts and smears.
[34:32] HOST – Antisemitism in China
You noted the year Israel and China launched diplomatic relations, and it’s now been 33 years. I’m wondering, now that you’ve been here a few months, where you see those relations going.
Along with that, I want to ask about Jews in China. First, is there a Jewish population? And second, is there any concern that we’ll start to see rising antisemitism in China, like we’ve seen in Europe and the United States?
[35:02] AMB. XIAO
As two of the world’s great civilizations, China and Israel share a bilateral relationship that is young but also time-honored. Our two countries established diplomatic ties 33 years ago, but the earliest exchanges between us date back over 1,000 years. Both have made important contributions to human civilization and share many cultural similarities.
Israel is a world-renowned startup nation and excels at making breakthroughs from zero to one. China has strong advantages in capital and market, and is good at scaling from one to 100. Cooperation will produce mutual benefits because the two countries have complementary demands.
I’m glad to see that exchanges and cooperation across the board between China and Israel have resumed over the past few months. I believe that by working together, our two countries will definitely make greater contributions to the development of the world.
China has a complete industrial system, an enormous market, and strong innovation vitality. Anyone who bets on China losing will lose the enormous market opportunities China offers.
[37:10] HOST – US fears of Chinese authoritarianism and more on antisemitism
The US, across the [political spectrum], has expressed concern that China poses one of the greatest long-term threats to democracy. America believes China wants to replace the US as the global superpower and is using its economic power to reshape the world according to an authoritarian vision rather than a democratic one.
As a wrap-up question, how do you respond to these accusations? Can you tell the US otherwise?
[37:40] AMB. XIAO
I want to emphasize that there is no ground for antisemitism in China, and the Chinese government does not tolerate its existence or spread. Throughout history, many Jewish people fled Europe and found refuge in Chinese cities, including Harbin, Shanghai, and Tianjin, free from persecution. Even before WWII, the Jewish population in China had already reached 40,000. During the war, China opened its doors to Jewish refugees escaping Nazi atrocities, as we mentioned earlier.
[As I've previously shown in these pages and elsewhere, party-state media, Chinese diplomats, and the state-run disinformation campaign Spamouflage, as well as respected academics, influencers, and artists, have promoted antisemitic conspiracies before, but especially after, October 7. Don’t believe me? Go on Baidu, BiliBili, Douyin, Weibo, Weixin, or any other mainland platforms of your choosing and search for the top results for 犹太 ("Jew/Jewish"). Now do the same thing, but instead, search for 打到共产党 (“down with the CCP”). You tell me what’s tolerated and what isn’t.]
"We want the world"
Prominent economist Liu Yunhui, April 2025: "So don’t let media noise brainwash you; don’t fixate on whether Trump will fire Powell. Even if he does, it’s meaningless. Because the person who ends up in that seat is ultimately chosen by Jewish financial capital, not by the president."
HOST
It sounds like it’s a pretty safe place. I was more curious whether there were concerns that it could rise. But in your estimation - and interestingly, I heard the same from the ambassador from Taiwan [in Israel, Ms. Ya-Ping (Abby) Lee - see Amb. Xiao’s remarks about her below at 42:06] - in most of these areas, you don’t see antisemitism like you do in Europe or the United States. It’s much safer for Jews in places like China, in Asia. I guess the only question is: how many Jews are there, right?
AMB. XIAO
During WWII, Shanghai sheltered more than 25,000 Jews - more than the total number accepted by Canada, Australia, India, South Africa, and New Zealand combined.
The synagogues in Shanghai, which stand as witnesses to that time, have been renovated into what is now the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum. The museum is planning to hold an exhibition in Israel later this year, sharing touching stories of the Chinese and Jewish people’s collective resilience in tough times.
[The reason so many Jews fled to Shanghai was not because the city “accepted” them through official policy. During the war, Shanghai was divided under Japanese occupation, then returned to full Nationalist control under Chiang Kai-shek’s KMT after Japan’s 1945 surrender, making it, for a time, one of the few places Jews could enter without papers. The CCP only took control of Shanghai in 1949.
[It’s a compelling story for Chinese (and Israelif) diplomats to say that China “opened its arms” like a “modern-day Noah’s Ark” during the Holocaust when no one else did, but as Dr. Mary Ainslie has argued, this revisionist take romanticizes the actual struggles of Jewish refugees and reduces the memory and lived experiences of survivors to a soft power platform.]
[40:20] HOST - Back to the authoritarian claims about China
I want to make sure we have time for this last question, which I think is the most important. At the end of the day, there's a lot of rhetoric in the United States - from both sides of the aisle - about China being a threat to democracy and the long-term viability of democracy. So I need to ask you directly: is China using its economic power to reshape the world in alignment with its authoritarian image, or not?
[40:47] AMB. XIAO – Authoritarian claim
Thank you for asking directly, and I’ll give you a direct answer: no. China pursues peace, development, cooperation, and shared benefits. The narrative of “authoritarianism versus democracy” is a false proposition. We strongly oppose drawing ideological lines, imposing a hierarchy on civilizations, or creating divisions.
China will stick to the system and development path it has chosen, while fully respecting the independent choices of other countries. China will never export its system or engage in systemic competition. China believes that peace, development, equality, justice, democracy, and freedom are common goals of humanity - they should not be claimed as the “patent” of a few countries.
Drawing lines between values is not truly democratic. China develops relations with all countries based on equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. We treat all countries equally and respectfully, in sharp contrast to the approach of some countries that form exclusive blocs and pursue geopolitical gains.
[42:53] AMB. XIAO – Taiwan
Actually, the representative of Taiwan in Tel Aviv is not an ambassador, because there is only one China in the world. According to UN Resolution 2758, Taiwan is not recognized as a separate sovereign state. She is the Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).
[Adopted in 1971, Resolution 2758 recognized the PRC as "the only lawful representatives of China to the UN.” This notwithstanding, the resolution doesn’t mention the Republic of China (TW’s official name), nor does it address its sovereignty or its representation in the UN system. The PRC has deliberately misinterpreted the resolution to justify excluding the democratic, sovereign island from the UN and other international forums.]
HOST
You are correct, and I apologize for misnaming it earlier. She is not technically the ambassador. And I appreciate you being here today, Mr. Ambassador.
AMB. XIAO
Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to be interviewed here. This is my first TV interview, and I hope that through your station, more Israeli people can gain a comprehensive understanding of the reality in China and extend greater support for the development of China–Israel bilateral relations. Thank you.
Playing in the Background
Tuvia Gering is a cyber-threat intelligence analyst at Planet Nine’s Digital Intelligence Team, a visiting fellow at the Israel-China Policy Center at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the author’s affiliated organizations.