Recently, when covering an investment dispute between a border-area kibbutz in Israel and a Chinese investment fund, some media outlets claimed that “China prohibits investment in Israel.” The Embassy of China in Israel has issued a clarification on this matter through Channel 12.
After the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023, China adjusted the travel risk level for areas within Israel in line with international practices. As the situation has eased, areas classified as extremely high risk (red) have been significantly reduced and are now limited to small areas around the north border and along the Gaza Stripe border.
Strictly limiting personnel movements and economic activities in extremely high-risk areas is an international practice. Restrictions on economic activities in small, extremely high-risk areas should not be confused with the normal economic and trade exchanges between China and most areas in Israel.
China encourages Israeli friends to engage with us in various forms of economic and trade cooperation, and hopes that all sectors will actively safeguard China-Israel relations and play an active role in advancing bilateral friendship and practical cooperation.
I haven’t kept up with the details but I remember 5-7 years ago Israel was trading weapons tech to China that the US was withholding
I was thinking as much. If you had any sources on that it would be great. Tech transfer through the imperialists attack dog that’s looking out for itself first, especially tech that the rest of the imperialists are attempting to withhold makes a lot of sense in the context as I understand it and helps contextualise a lot of the less palatable realpolitik.
https://archive.is/Rl0T3
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2005-07/us-israel-seek-cut-deal-china-arms-sales
https://www.cfr.org/articles/us-china-israel-technology-triangle
From the third article I linked:
Israel began selling military technology such as missiles, radars, and navigation systems to China in the 1980s, even before Beijing recognized Israel, and technology trade quietly intensified in the 1990s. At the same time, there were a string of allegations that Israel transferred sensitive military technology to China. Concerned about China’s potential use of advanced airborne early-warning (AEW) radar systems, the United States dissuaded Israel from lucrative arms deals in 2000 and 2005, souring Chinese-Israeli security trade relations. No further sales of military technology between China and Israel have been reported since.
Israel’s willingness to walk away from arms deals with the Chinese at the United States’ request is unsurprising given the countries’ strong military and political relationship. The United States and Israel, a recipient of over $3 billion in U.S. military aid, often co-develop weapons and coordinate their sales to ensure that sensitive technology doesn’t fall into enemy hands. Israeli officials have been especially vocal about the risks posed by military technology trade with China, noting that
The Sino-Soviet split and its consequences I think are the likely reason the US didn’t quash this day one. They got distracted with all the looting in the 90s and reveling in the end of history and their victory they didn’t notice what was happening then but sobered up by the 2000s.