For subscribers

News analysis

Seeking peacemaker image, China shifts to more neutral stance on Israel-Palestine war

As Israel’s war in Gaza drags on with more regional players being drawn in, Asian powers are monitoring developments and subtly calibrating their foreign policies. The Straits Times looks at how China and India are navigating these complexities.

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

Mahmoud al-Aloul, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Palestinian organisation and political party Fatah, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Mussa Abu Marzuk, senior member of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, attend an event at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 23, 2024. PEDRO PARDO/Pool via REUTERS     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

(From left) Mr Mahmoud al-Aloul, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of Palestinian organisation and political party Fatah, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Mr Mussa Abu Marzuk, senior member of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 23.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Follow topic:

China appears to be projecting a more neutral position between Israel and its Iran-backed opponents as it seeks to bolster its peacemaking credentials in a region where its interests are growing.

More than a year since

the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel,

which has spiralled into a broader conflict in the Middle East, China is recalibrating its stance amid a string of Israeli military successes that could tilt the balance against Iran, a key strategic partner for Beijing.

See more on